RE: Oracle 10i

Robert - I agree with you that Oracle needs to pump out new features in order to keep ahead of the competition. They are able to charge higher license fees than SQL Server because they offer better features. In the database business, "sitting still makes you road kill".

   Of course, the new features are much more effective if there are thousands of DBAs that are 1) aware of the new features, 2) understand the new features and can deploy them. Doesn't the OCP just work out beautifully? When you apply for a job, the manager asks if you are Oracle9i (or 10i) certified. That means that you are fully aware of the new features. From Oracle's perspective, this is a win-win. And the occasional upgrade exam isn't too bad. I didn't make the certification plunge because I thought you would have to do the complete certification with each new version. Just a new features module isn't all that bad.

Dennis Williams
DBA, 40%OCP
Lifetouch, Inc.
dwilliams_at_lifetouch.com

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Friday, November 08, 2002 1:09 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L

Certification has become a bear, in my eyes. 8i was hard enough with all it's new features, but 9i has just a ton of new features (and 9iR2 even more). The 9i OCP Upgrade Exam, IMHO, is probably the most difficult of any of them because it covers a much wider scope of material than any of the other exams did. Yet, I don't think that passing the 9iOCP (or any certification) makes you an "expert". That passing scores are something like 55 or 60%, should tell you somethin'.

RF

Robert G. Freeman - Oracle OCP
Oracle Database Architect
CSX Midtier Database Administration
Author of several Oracle books you can find on Amazon.com!

Londo Mollari: Ah, arrogance and stupidity all in the same package. How efficient of you.

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Friday, November 08, 2002 1:20 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L

> -----Original Message-----
> just what is Oracle's business model for pushing these release's
> out this fast?

It sells books and certification classes. At our shop, we have started to blow off certification now that Oracle has gotten so ridiculous about it.

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