Re: consolidation of multiple rows

From: DA Morgan <damorgan_at_psoug.org>
Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2008 17:11:21 -0800
Message-ID: <1205025076.283283@bubbleator.drizzle.com>


Jerry Stuckle wrote:

>> I would disagree with your characterization of them as "great DBAs."
>>

>
> That is a completely asinine comment. You don't know them; you don't
> know their background or their jobs, you don't know their training and
> you don't know the quality of work they do.

Actually I do know one thing ... that is with respect to their training. You provided that answer yourself.

But my comment is hardly asinine. I just, it appears, have a higher standard than you before I refer to someone as "great."

> Yet you say they are not great DBA's because they aren't familiar with
> Boyce's name? I've seen stupid and small minded in this group before,
> but that tops the cake.

Not because. But it is part of it: Yes.

Again ... my standard it, it would seem, rather higher than yours when I throw around adjectives.

Since we are speaking English lets go with a dictionary definition: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/great

"markedly superior in character or quality" "remarkably skilled"

I guess I find them less remarkable than you do.

>> I know that might be your impression of them. And I've no doubt they
>> can install, patch, and backup and restore without crashing and burning.
>> But it takes more than that to be "great."

>
> And you have no idea what my background is. For your information, I've
> been programming for over 40 years. I've been working with RDB's for
> around 25 years - I started while working for IBM in the early 80's. And
> I've been teaching sql and database administration to Fortune 500
> companies for around 15 years.

We are not discussing you personally: Don't change the subject. Above you wrote: "You don't know them" and now it is about you? Not interested in pursuing that but I doubt you are older than me so be careful here.

> I know a great dba when I see one. And I know a small minded idiot when
> I see one. Your comments do NOT show you are a great DBA.

Never claimed to be one. Not once.

>> You don't know normalization if you don't know Boyce-Codd Normal Form.
>> What you are describing is the competent self-taught ... not the
>> "great."

>
> Who said they don't know Boyce-Codd Normal Form? They know how to
> normalize a database. They know the rules for each of the 5 normal
> forms. The fact YOU call it Boyce-Codd does not mean everyone does.

Actually it does.

http://www.datamodel.org/NormalizationRules.html
http://ycmi.med.yale.edu/nadkarni/db_course/Norm_contents.htm
http://comsci.liu.edu/~murali/syllabi/cs148_fall_2007.htm

At least within the community of those of us that teach it.

-- 
Daniel A. Morgan
Oracle Ace Director & Instructor
University of Washington
damorgan_at_x.washington.edu (replace x with u to respond)
Received on Sat Mar 08 2008 - 19:11:21 CST

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