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Newsgroups: comp.databases.oracle.server
Subject: Re: index rebuilding...
From: Noons <nsouto@optusnet.com.au.nospam>
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Organization: Completely disorganized, but still kicking!
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Date: 02 Feb 2003 10:08:31 GMT
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"Jonathan Lewis" <jonathan@jlcomp.demon.co.uk> wrote in 
news:b1ipul$gtj$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk and I quote:

> 
> Of course, this does mean that Oracle doesn't
> use B*Trees, as it's manuals have claimed since
> at least 5.1 - it uses a version of B+trees.

Akshally, the whole thing is terminally confusing.
According to Knuth, B+trees and B*trees are quite 
different.  And Oracle doesn't help with their
"modified algorithm" B+trees thing.  It all adds to
the confusion.  

I'd bet if someone spends some time going through the 
actual index handling source code, it will come out 
that the algorithm is neither one nor the other and 
is in fact quite unique.

It's one of the few areas where makers can still have some
significant implementation differences, and of course
distinguishing factors.  The only reason we don't see the 
marketing dingbats pouring all over it is that the whole thing
is arcane, to put it very mildly.


-- 
Cheers
Nuno Souto
nsouto@optusnet.com.au.nospam
