Re: What is a good blocksize to use.

From: Karsten Farell <kfarrell_at_medimpact.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2002 21:09:04 GMT
Message-ID: <Qv4k9.1222$0N5.27999503@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com>

While I agree in principle (students will not learn if we do everything for them), I see far too many put-downs, rather than helpful guidance when someone is suspected of being a student. My mother taught me that when I don't know for sure, to assume the best about people, not to assume they are just a bunch of lazy, good-for-nothing students looking for the easy way out. Maybe in an ideal world, those kind of students would be found out and their message never get posted.

I would hate to think that if I asked a question, giving a hypothetical table (since mose people would have to know a lot more about the industry I'm in to understand what kind of data I store in my Member_Custom_Fields table) ... well, you get my point. I might post a message using something more familiar - maybe a Courses table - and have everyone assume I'm just a free-loading student. Though I'd give up all my Oracle DBA experience to be that young again, it wouldn't be fair to assume I was *only* hoping for someone to do my homework.

And BTW, even with 15 years as an Oracle DBA, I don't think I yet know the 50% you implied. :) But hey, I do know FORTRAN and COBOL, though it was in a previous lifetime (1966+) as a developer.

Daniel Morgan wrote:
> Karsten Farell wrote:
>
>

>>Though I'm not sure why questions from students are less important than
>>those from us "paid professionals," I think the answer to this question
>>would require a rather lengthly response. My performance tuning book
>>devotes quite a few pages to this very discussion. My suggestion is to
>>head over to your local bookstore and buy a book on Oracle performance
>>issues.
>>

>
>
> They are not less important. But that said ... students are not helped by
> handing them the complete answer, gift wrapped, with a ribbon and a
> Hallmark card.
>
> I think pointers to the right direction are appropriate.
> I think pointers to their textbook are appropriate.
> I think pointers to web sites containing the answer are appropriate.
>
> But I really wouldn't want one of my students being able to take home a
> mid-term or final and then get the likes of you, or Sybrand, or Tom, or
> Howard, or Richard, etc. handing them the answers.
>
> It cheats them out of an Oracle education. Of which 50% is what you know
> and 50% is knowing how to find the answer because you can't know
> everything.
>
> Daniel Morgan
>
Received on Tue Sep 24 2002 - 16:09:04 CDT