Re: sqlplus

I would agree with some comments and disagree with others. When I first started using Oracle, I wrote my equivalent of SQL*PLUS and OEM purely as a learning exercise. It didn't come close to the functionality of either Oracle tool, but it was an enormously useful exercise. My analogy has always been "when do you know the most about a car, if you buy a new Ferrari or rebuild a '68 Chevelle?" Of course, if you rebuild the Chevelle. If you do so, you will eventually have a much greater understanding of how the Ferrari runs. I appreciate your efforts. I do however disagree with the comment

> I think you really do not understand that most people are not interressted
> in windows
> software like TOAD but are still using terminals. The sqlplus program has
> many disadvantages.
> Maybe you should listen more to your users what they really want. 90 % of
> the users only
> want to look at the data in the database and are not interrested in the
> extra features
> of sqlplus.

Most people that are using a terminal based tool like SQL*PLUS DO understand all of its features and in fact use them. Most people using TOAD would have no interest in SQL*PLUS, or your tool for that matter, as it is still terminal character based. DBA's(or at least those worth their salt) had better understand SQL*PLUS, or I would question their commitment to really understanding and effectively using Oracle to improve results. I say this because there are many things far more complicated in Oracle than SQL*PLUS.

> > Secondly: I don't know what's wrong with sql*plus, or your mind has
 been
> > crippled by using GUI-interfaces. IMO it is damn arrogant to think you
 can
> > do better than sql*plus, especially it looks like this program didn't
> > implement any sql*plus features like substitution variables, breaks,
> > computes and the like.
> >
>
> It is not a GUI interface but text based. Most people still have normal
> terminals
> especially in the unix environment.
> Why you want sqlplus features. Most people only want to look at the data.
>

XWindows has made such large inroads, I question this statement.

> > If you want to make a replacement, better get to *know* sql*plus
> >
> > Thirdly: there a much better tools like TOAD and Sql*navigator, and
 those
> > can be downloaded from the web, while this tool can't and is available
 for
> > Unix platforms only.
>
> TOAD is a great tool but works only on windows platforms. There are still
> many
> users which don't use windows.

True.

>
> >
> > IMO sql*plus is still quite adequate for many purposes, and you still
 should
> > use it to *really learn Oracle* Many GUI-based programs have undesirable
> > defaults and make people lazy.
> > I admit you need to read the sql*plus manual to learn it, and I know
 most
> > people rather like to hack away.
> >
>
> I read the sqlplus manual. That's why I write my own sql monitor !!!!
>

I do appreciate your efforts, as I am sure regardless of what you knew before, it has greatly increased your understanding.

Regards, Steve Received on Sat Jun 09 2001 - 11:38:34 CDT