Re: Database Report Generator - beta testers needed

From: Wolfgang Rochow <contactme_at_mysignatureline.com>
Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 15:53:53 GMT
Message-ID: <le5qc.11154$RM.10521@edtnps89>

"D Rolfe" <dwrolfeFRUITBAT_at_orindasoft.com> wrote in message news:sAGpc.7922$qP2.16017_at_news.indigo.ie...
> Wolfgang Wrote:
>
> > I have had the pleasure of having had Alex as a "partner" for over a
decade
> > and I continually marvel at his brillance. Alex has been a key factor in
>
> > [...]
>
> > One of my wishes is that someday we may have someone as brilliant as
Alex
> > join us as a "partner" (working shareholder), he is that good.
> >
>
> {Sound Effect : Irish software developer throwing up into his waste
> paper basket on reading the above at 7am on a Sunday morning}
>

Your confused. It's the Irish whiskey. Stay away from it, if you can't stomach it. ;-)

> I promised myself I'd stay out of this, but this is just *too* much!
>
> > I have been following this thread with bemusement and
> > concern. Personally, it is not my style to offend anyone. Alex
> > simply wants his message to get out, in every way possible.
> > Obviously, it has offended the sensibilities of some.
> >
>
> If you had actually been following this thread you'd know that the
> problem was not the content of Alex's message but his chosen means of
> propagating it. The problem now appears to be that Alex's ego is bruised
> so he's talked his boss into defending him. Alex is clearly one of those
> people who simply can not bear to lose an argument, even if it means
> permanently antagonizing someone. He doesn't seem to have the slightest
> idea of the harm he is doing to his employer's reputation.
>

Wrong again. First of all, I'm not his boss. We are partners in the truest sence of the word. Secondly, he did not come to me. I simply could not take the arrogance that is so obvious on both sides.

Besides, Alex can take care of himself. Will it harm our reputation? Possibly, certainly in your eyes. But I hope not in the eyes of fair people.

Having read the Charter for comp.databases.oracle.server (here is an excerpt):
"The following list is a sample of topics which are included in this news group:

a.. Oracle database or server installation
a.. Database creation and development
a.. Database administration, tuning, monitoring
a.. Techniques for more efficient access
a.. Importing and Exporting data
a.. Tools and applications designed to aid in database administration."

it appears to me that the objections raised by you and other "regulars" are unfounded.

For example, Alex could justifiably talk in this news group about the STEP FORWARD tools because they deal with "Database creation and development" or Scribe (which handles both database interrogation and database update) because it deals with "Importing and Exporting data".

If Alex is guilty of anything, it may be offering a free copy of Scribe in return for professional feedback (crass commercialism at its finest). I have looked at a number of posts and they essentially state, "Help - can I do this or that" and you respond to these requests in a more or less civil manner. By contrast, Alex's post states, "Help - this is what I've done, can you please check it out and let me know, based on your expertise, if I should make changes" and you vilify him for it. It reality the essence of both types of posts are identical. Go figure.

Except, perhaps, for the "free copy/compensation thank you", I see nothing wrong in Alex's original post.

While I do not expect you to "kiss and make up", I do hope that there are a number of "sober" oracle professionals who concur with my assessment of the situation and will respond favorably to Alex's request for "Help - this is what I've done, can you please check it out and let me know, based on your expertise, if I should make changes".

Wolfgang
contactwolfgang_at_gestalt.com (remove contact to email) www.gestalt.com

>
> > If I may be so bold, let me suggest that you do not judge Alex until you
> > have tested his work.
> >
>
> I *HAVE* tested his work. I wanted to validate my theory that competent
> software developers don't use SPAM. So far the theory holds up! I didn't
> even get to the installation stage before I came across the following on
> your website:
>
> http://www.gestalt.com/Scribe/FutureDevelopment.html
>
> > Table joins. At the present time, Scribe can only retrieve data from
> > individual tables and views. A mechanism for graphical joining of
> > multiple tables in a report process flowchart must be developed; along
> > with the controls for fine-tuning the join (outer/inner etc.).
> >
>
> Given that competent relational database design tends to involve
> multiple tables it's extremely hard to see what possible use 'scribe' is
> or how it could be described as 'beta software'.
>
> Anyone who doesn't regard joins as a 'must have' feature in a report
> generator clearly hasn't paid attention to the marketplace.
>
> This failure to implement anything other than the most ludicrously basic
> functionality would also explain Alex's claim that he only needs a few
> days to add a new database to his product.
>
> There are other things I found out about scribe that I'm not going to
> tell you because to do so would be to reward Alex for his behavior.
> Suffice it to say I shall be very surprised if it ever becomes widely
> known, except in the context of SPAM and internet abuse.
>
> David Rolfe
>
Received on Mon May 17 2004 - 10:53:53 CDT