Re: Please help: stuck with ORA-12514

"Frank van Bortel" <fvanbortel_at_netscape.net> wrote in message news:can65d$taq$1_at_news5.tilbu1.nb.home.nl...
> Howard J. Rogers wrote:
>
> [snip]
> >
> > It doesn't "come from" anywhere. It's just an integral part of an
instance.
> > So, provided you have started an instance, you have PMON. It's one of
the
> > many "background processes" without which an instance doesn't actually
do
> > any practical work.
> [huge snip]
> Howard, the OP is on Windows; there will be only one process
> recognizable: oracle.exe (and tnslsnr.exe).
> You will not be able to see PMON.exe in your task list window
> the same way you would on *nix.
> Some room for misunderstanding here, especially for a newby.
> --
>
> Regards,
> Frank van Bortel
>

Frank: Whether he is on Windows or not, PMON is a "background process" (note the quotes). It's a standard Oracle phrase and its meaning has been well-established over many years in the Oracle community. If your point is that the phrase "background process" is not the same as "Windows process", then that is undoubtedly true. My cat is not a dog, either.

If a newbie wants to find out about what DBWR or LGWR or any of the others do, they may well be tempted to search tahiti.oracle.com for the phrase "background processes" -whereupon they will find 87 topics across 22 books. A search for the phrase "background threads" will produce just 2 hits in one book. Which, then, is the more useful name/phrase to use?

Moreover, the dynamic performance view where you can see details about them is called V$PROCESS no matter what platform you're running on. And there is no V$THREAD made especially for Windows users. Except that there is indeed a V$THREAD on all platforms that has got nothing whatever to do with the process v thread architectural issue and everything to do with managing one's stream of redo! Which, then, is the more misleading name to use?

I appreciate the concern that motivated your post. On this specific issue, however, I think it has been misplaced.
Regards
HJR Received on Tue Jun 15 2004 - 14:17:31 CDT