Where to Start

[StNixon]

Hi all:
Where does some one get started and get GOOD reference materials for Oracle 10g and PL/SQL? That is the short question below is the long winded question.

My wife likes working with Data and finding that elusive answer. So I suggested she try learning about Data Bases. She is a big time Luddite and fought tooth and nail against learning something new on the computer, or even using one.
I finally got her to take an advanced Excel class and then an introduction to Data Base design class. She loved both classes and did great in them. She even went on to take an Oracle 10g iSQL class as recommended by her instructor (she has yet to take the test).
Now she is taking an Oracle 10g PL/SQL class. This is turning in to a real nightmare! The class at the local college is only taught on line as a distance learning class, so she has NO peers to talk to, and the instructor keeps saying "it's all in the documentation" or "look it up on line". The few times she has answered any thing it is a direct quote (cut and paste) from the documentation. The documentation is a bunch of photo copies of some Power Point presentation with a few foot notes.
I am a System Admin and Programmer from way back and I’ve never seen or been involved with such a poor excuse of a class.
My wife is going to school full time right now, so we want her time of no income to be productive. So with this long winded question I need to get her some help.
1) What are some good references?
2) What certificates are available and what are good study guides?
3) What does she need (besides a certificate) to get a job in this field?
4) As this is not my field what else should she study or check out?

Thanks for all your help

Stance

 

[SantaMufasa]

Stance,

When I did a search on Amazon.com, amongst the first few entries on Page 1 of 741 hits were:
[ul][li]Oracle PL/SQL Programming, 4th Edition by Steven Feuerstein (In fact, I authored about 4 pages of Steve's book...as I recall, it was my PL/SQL code that 1) translates numbers into their spelled-words counterpart and 2) produces check-protection spelled currency values.)[/li][li]Oracle PL/SQL For Dummies by Michael Rosenblum and Paul Dorsey[/li][/ul]...and dozens of others.

I am a former instructor at Oracle University. I specialised in PL/SQL and Advanced PL/SQL classes (among dozens of others) and I would be happy to help you wife past any hurdles. She can either post her questions in the Oracle 10g (or 9i or 8i) forums, or even here in Oracle 11g forum. Or, she can contact me via my signature, below, for personal assistance (if she is self-conscious about posting in a Tek-Tips forum).

And, Isn't it enfuriating when a paid instructor passes off student questions with the proverbially assinine "It's in the documentation..." excuse. If we could learn everything we needed from "the documentation", then what do we need an Instructor for, right?

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]

 

[Darrylles]

Hey StNixon,

Still same old story eh?

a) You can't get in until you have experience, and you can't get experience until you get in.
b) Educational courses (university / college) are crap - unless you subscribe to a 3-4 year FULL-TIME course (and even then - the degree courses are mostly theoretical, with business management orientation taking precedence, whereas HND is 90% hands-on).

I gained my HND Computing and subscribed to a full-time degree course at 32 years of age - what a waste of 12 months the degree course was. I ended up moving South temporarily ('cos the entry level jobs in the North set me back to when I was an apprentice 12 years hence (financially)).

My partner only became interested in computing when she learned the income possibilities, and she simply got involved in the computer aspect with each of 2 or 3 companies that she was working for over time - picking experience up along the way.
She only has a single relational-database module from a OU course, but she is 'quick', whereas I am a slow, persistent, obsessed 'plodder'. She is now contracting and basically impressing employer after employer, and is constantly refusing permanent employment.

I've got to admit that my 30 years obsessional computing is no match for someone who can absorb technical detail without really listening.

So, in my experience you need:

1) Obsession with the subject or
2) You have a 'photographic' memory or
3) You have very good luck.

I get the impression that this might be your idea (only my impression), but if your wife is not TRULY interested in the subject, and she is not especially 'quick' (no disrespect, but I mean very quick on absorbing facts that might not naturally interest her) - then don't press the issue of her entering into 'computing'.

If I were in your wife's position, I would have networked and acquired my peer contact details and used Yahoo, MS Messenger etc to communicate with them. If you are really interested - you find a way of making a crap course work for you - you have to.

I have no pointers regarding Oracle in general (I'm looking myself), but, I would suggest that if she is truly interested: to look at researching Oracle APEX (Application Express). I can say that I think that it will be taking off big-time shortly, and is freely downloadable from the Oracle site (both database and APEX software).
It is aimed at both 'beginners' and serious prgrammers (much like MS Access). It will also give a good grounding in Oracle database admin at the same time.

Just a suggestion, and please don't be offended by my comments above - better that you hear all, than just what you want to hear. (Take note of Oracle APEX - honest).

ATB

Darrylles

Never argue with an idiot, he'll bring you down to his level - then beat you with experience.

 

[Thargy]

I second the comments about APEX.

Oracle has a lite version which you may freely download (like all oracle software) and is free for personal use. It comes with APEX built in, so it would be an ideal tool for your wife to practice Oracle and gain experience with APEX simultaneously.

Regards

Tharg

Grinding away at things Oracular

 

[smcnulty2000]

I'm curious how this situation resolved.

StNixon, did your wife continue on the Oracle path?

What materials proved adequate?

 

[StNixon]

No Joy! She was using the stuff available on the Oracle site (a little overwhelming for a beginner), and what help I could offer. I got swamped at work and the instructor became even harder to get a response out of. My wife gave up in frustration (complaining to the scholl seemed to have no effect).
She is going to try again next summer with a different instructor in a classroom enviornment.

Thank you all for the information. I hope to have her better prep'ed by then.

Stance