Re: oracle query questions

DA Morgan wrote:

> I read your opinion and respectfully disagree.

I read yours to the OP and (respectfully) disagree with the approach you took.

You wrote (amongst the thought-provoking SQL questions,

• part of your course?):

> Why would anyone learn an obsolete product?

Maybe this person has no choice? If the OP wants to learn SQL, then there are many free and Open Source products which will go a *_long_* *_long_* way to teaching somebody SQL.  

> SQL is not generic. What works in Oracle, especially 8i, will not
> work in other products and is nearly worthless. No one learns RDBMS
> or SQL as a hobby ... it is learned withing the context of being a
> job skill.

Or a university course? I would argue that if somebody wants to learn SQL, then Oracle is not a good system, all this (+) rubbish for outer joins for a start.  

> If it takes equal effort to learn 10gR2 or 8i then learning 8i is
> of no value. Would you teach someone rub sticks together who was
> trying to learn how to start a backyard BBQ?

But we don't know that 10gR2 is as easy, do we? Maybe downloading the latest version of Firebird or PostgreSQL (both under 15MB) could be as good as any Oracle release, and also conform better to standard SQL, which for a job would be better - no?

Anyway, I'm not giving out here, I'm just saying that maybe there are better things to be saying than just "upgrade to Oracle XXRyy". Maybe looking at other RDBMS's might be better suited to the OP's needs?

However, if you're talking jobs and careers, then Oracle (and the latest version thereof) is the best place to be as I've found out to my cost!

Paul... Received on Thu Jul 19 2007 - 14:39:38 CDT