Re: Confusing two books

1. Oracle SQL is the "Oracle" dialect of the Stuctured Query Language.

That is the language you use to create, retrieve, update and delete the data in a database as well as manage the database environment - create/alter/drop tables and indexes as well as startup and shutdown the database.

2) Oracle PL/SQL is the Procedural Language available in Oracle.

It allows many SQL statements to be executed in a conditional or controlled manner.

An Oracle noovice needs to understand the basic architecture and the components in Oracle. I recommend
- O'Reilly press: Oracle Essentials

• Oracle documentation: Oracle Database Concepts

An Oracle developer has mastered Oracle SQL and is aware of ANSI SQL. Such a person may also be aware of the SQL Server, DB2 and MySQL dialects of SQL, and if so, should be aware of the differences between these dialects and Oracle SQL. I recommend
- O'Reilly press - Mastering Oracle SQL

• Oracle documentation: SQL Reference manual
• Oracle documentation: Application Developer's Guide - Fundamentals

A GOOD Oracle developer will also be aware of the internals of Oracle and ow the internals affect the operation of several concurrent tasks as well as the operation of several consequetive tasks. I recommend
- Apress: "Expert Oracle Database Architecture:

      9i and 10g Programming Techniques and Solutions" by T. Kyte
- APress: "Mastering Oracle PL/SQL"

• Oracle Documentation: PL/SQL User Guide and Reference manuals
• Apress: "Cost-Based Oracle Fundamentals"

An EXCELLENT Oracle developer will take this above to a new level by getting proficient in specific areas of Oracle, such as Replication, Streams, Workflow, interMedia, Workspace management, large objects, globalization, and so on. For this, Oracle documentation and practise are highly recommended.

-- 
Hans Forbrich                           
Canada-wide Oracle training and consulting
mailto: Fuzzy.GreyBeard_at_gmail.com   
*** Top posting [replies] guarantees I won't respond. ***