Re: Database Design

"Galen Boyer" <galenboyer_at_hotpop.com> wrote in message news:u8ykmm3ep.fsf_at_standardandpoors.com...
>
> It is clear that you, and others, think that our profession needs
> to be elevated to the level on par with medicine. That is a
> thought that screams self-importance. Our profession and work
> isn't dealing with life-threatening issues. I think those that
> feel that way need to get a better perspective on what it is our
> profession is. We are IT professionals. We strive to be
> extremely talented at what we do. We love the creativity,
> challenge, ... of our professions. But, in the "Grand scheme of
> things" we provide very little societal benefit, very few of us
> do anything remotely dealing with life issues (there are a small
> few that deal with medical records that are used by the medical
> profession) and our profession's output isn't important enough to
> warrant a government or even industry sponsored credentials test.
>

Hmmm I see your point. I also see another point: the databases I helped design in the last two years, which will track the training level and currency of FA-18 pilots. Dunno if many here want to be anywhere near if a fault in the design in one of those causes someone to fly into the side of a mountain (or worse) at Mach 1.5...

We all can cite examples of worse or lesser responsibility. It all boils down IMHO to professionalism. If I don't feel up to the task for a given design exercise, then I'll be the first to bail out and make damagement aware of it being above my head. That is something you don't learn in ANY training, I'm afraid.

And it also has a lot to do with different degrees of specialisation. The term DBA, IMHO has over the years been used and abused to cover what are in fact WIDELY DIFFERENT job requirements and specifications. I don't expect someone in charge of running a third-party app to have the SAME level of qualifications and professional expertise as someone who DESIGNED that app. Yet we routinely see no distinction whatsoever in that respect in job specifications, OCP certifications and a host of other "qualifications"!

To me that is another symptom of a much wider problem which has nothing to do with the individual case of the Oracle DBA.

Now, is it practical to solve it by creating a "doctor" or "lawyer" level certification or accreditation system? I don't think so. I don't see why a jail warden or a nurse have to be certified at that level. I'd rather see the term DBA given its proper attributes and SEPARATED from the host of others that have been attached to it.

THEN and only then, would I consider it appropriate to attach government sponsored accreditation programs to any of the resulting classifications. But knowing how these things work (heck, my Dad used to run a Uni!), all we'll see if it ever comes to anything is another batch of tertiary education courses with no use whatsoever in the industry except for a few select job specifications...

-- 
Cheers
Nuno Souto
wizofoz2k_at_yahoo.com.au.nospam