1 comments about BI Publisher for Oracle E-Business Suite.

1. If you can spell "BI" you already know more than this book will teach you. It is not a book at all but rather a "pamplet". 136 pages for for $41 is over 30 cents a page, there is not a nickels worth of useful information on any page in the book, that said, if I had spent $5.00 on the book I would still be very disappointed. The examples shown are too simplistic to be worth anybody's time. And there is nothing at all useful on the Data Template. All in all this book is a zero. Don't waste your money

5 comments about Oracle Streams: High Speed Replication and Data Sharing (Oracle In-Focus series).

1. I'm glad this book was only $18 because if I'd paid more than that for it I would have been extremely upset. As it is, I have just reminded myself of why I tend to buy books for work from well know authors and publishers. This book is fine if you want to find out what Oracle Streams does, at a very vague, high level; anyone seeking to find out how to design, configure or implement a real Streams based application is wasting their time. The Oracle documentation is well written, relatively complete, and provides full feature documentation. This book provides nothing useful.



2. Maybe I'm just dense, but reading and re-reading the Oracle documentation on Streams just did not do it for me. This was the only book I could find that appeared to have substantial detailed descriptions of how to use this product. I was not disappointed. It got me over the hump. He does assume a fair amount of understanding when he gets to downstream capture, but by the time I had worked out regular capture I had enough familiarity to piece it together. I have bought a lot of different books on Oracle; this was my first from Rampant publishing, so I was a little concerned, but it proved itself worth the money.



3. I bought this book after reading Oracle documentation for couple of days.
   Completely disappointed by it.
   Only basic coverage which is not enough even to create sample replication.
   90% of the materials are just copy/paste (with small rephrase) from Oracle Documentation.



4. don't bother with this book. Read Oracle documentation before this book. There are mistakes in the scripts and user to run them.



5. I like the book. It is concise and to the point. More troubleshooting information could have made it best ..

5 comments about Oracle JDeveloper 10g Handbook.

1. The authors told us in the introduction part of this book that it is for "both Oracle developers who want to make the transition to the J2EE environment and also Java developers who want to leverage the productivity tools and frameworks available in JDeveloper". The authors have done an good job to satisfy this scope, though I feel time by time that this is book is actually written for Oracle developers who have already exposed to Java/J2EE technology and also J2EE developers who possess basic knowledge about Oracle database technology. Otherwise, I do not recommend you to start your journey from this book. It could be too difficult. Further more, if you want to learn how to use JDeveloper 10g as your Java development tool, this book is not designed for you.
   
   This book gives a good overview of the introductory information about JDeveloper 10g and many related J2EE technologies developed by Oracle. Such overview coverage is further enhanced by about 25 well-designed step-by-step hands-on practices, which are very helpful.
   
   It is true that you may find a lot of learning material from Oracle Technology Network. However, I feel this book offers the unique value by covering this quite extensive and diversified subject in an organized way. By reading this book, you will certainly improve your productivity since JDeveloper 10g is a great tool and since otherwise you may feel overwhelmed by the vast amount of information you may find online.
   
   This book is based on Oracle JDeveloper 10g production release of version 9.0.5.1. The current Oracle JDeveloper 10g production release is of version 10.1.2. I found some of the step-by-step instructions may need slight modification due to the difference of the two versions, though I do not think it posses much difficult to any experienced readers.
   
   Chapter 5, Java Language Concepts for JDeveloper Work, gives a very brief overview of Java concepts. Well, if you need to read this chapter, you are not ready to read this book yet. The good news is that this chapter is only about 30 pages long, less than 5% of this thick book. The development of the rest of the story is in a quite logic and readable order.
   
   The authors explain to us that "this book is a `handbook' not in the sense of a complete guide to all areas of the tool, but, .., a guide for creating J2EE applications using JDeveloper". It is interesting why they still insist to call it a handbook. This book covers only many of the basic features of JDeveloper. If you are advanced, and if you need quickly find a good coverage on an important but advanced features, most likely this is not the book that will give you an answer. Many of the books by Oracle Press are already written in somewhat quite a technical manner. Calling it a handbook may actually scare away those who are new to 10g. You do not start studying a subject by reading a handbook, do you?



2. This book was exactly what I needed. I had been struggling for a couple of months to learn all of the pieces needed to build a business application using JDeveloper. I have some Java experience but not a strong J2EE background. There are plenty of resources around that cover XML, Java, JSP/Servlets and non-Oracle frameworks like Struts, Spring and JavaServer Faces (JSF). Don't expect to learn about those things here. But if you are trying to wrap your head around Oracle's Application Development Framework (ADF), this is the place for you. It's the best single source I've seen for that topic. There is a lot of information on the Oracle Technology Network (OTN), but it's scattered and isn't wrapped in a sequential story the way this book's presentation is. Most of ADF Business Component structure has been stable for a couple of years, so the fact that this book is a bit dated doesn't get in the way.
   
   What's missing because of the publication date is coverage of JDeveloper's extensive integration of JSF within ADF. Oracle has set their stake in the ground with JSF as the web client technology, and their ADF Business Components as the backend. It's an elegant combination. This book will give you excellent insight into the backend technologies. The wait is on for similar coverage of the frontend.



3. it is wath i was looking for. Complete, simple and perfectly explaned; in one word perfect.



4. This latest edition for Oracle10g JDeveloper builds on the success of the previous 9i version. As with the previous version, each chapter is well organized with thorough and accurate examples. Well thought-out attention has been given to explaining Oracle's Application Development Framework (ADF). The authors also go into great depth in explaining how to use the newly improved modeling capabilities of 10g JDeveloper (both their strengths and weaknesses).
   
   In short, this book as been well received by myself and colleagues I work with and would highly recommend it to anyone getting started in developing Oracle based applications with JDeveloper. I have found no better resource and tutorial for understanding ADF.
   
   Regards,
   -- jeff
   ---------------------------------------
   Jeffrey Hunter, OCP
   Senior Database Administrator
   http://www.idevelopment.info
   ---------------------------------------



5. Whereas this book may have information throughout, that is not what makes good instruction. Some may argue that if you know "XYZ", "ABC", and "concept A" and "concept B", that this book is good.
   
   But one should not have to fight to learn when the concepts are not difficult.
   
   Briefly -- using the examples as given will still bring up errors when trying to run the examples on some people's systems [I found others with the issues I had in the Oracle forums, and was able to fix them; "luckily" for me, the examples that didn't work for me were the same as a number of others, so I didn't have to look far].
   
   As an example of the flow in the book, in the beginning of chapter 8 [which is the beginning of Part II], it essentially summarizes where you are at; it mentions that you've gone through Chapters 1-4, and then it immediately states what is now coming in Part II [not mentioning chapters 5-7, as if the author didn't even know they were there], and then what happens in Part III. It's as if when one of the three writers wrote the beginning of Part II, they weren't aware that there would be three other chapters in Part I. [and this makes sense, because chapter 5 is very much out of place in where it is. Most people already know the Java part of it anyway].
   
   Also, BC4J is talked about much in the first few hundred pages of the book, but really the best explanation for it is on page 224, after you've seen BC4J referenced numerous times already. And I understand this sounds picky while reading one part described, when the biggest issue is that the flow is all over the place.
   
   One shouldn't have to figure out what the authors *meant* to be saying; the authors should say it. [and to reference this example further, the index lets you know you can find BC4J on pages 5, 6, and 109, but no mention of 224. If it did, you might see that the definition given on page 5 is different than the definition given on page 224, because the wording is different [one says BC4J is what came before ADF BC, another says it is just a different name for it].
   
   Some people do not mind having to figure out what the writers were trying to describe, and for you folks, this may be good.
   
   But, if you don't like having to first interpret the book, then learn what you are trying to learn, this is just something to think about.

5 comments about Father, Son & Co.: My Life at IBM and Beyond.

1. Although not exactly riveting, this book does provide an interesting and readable history of IBM from the view of Thomas Watson Jr. who took over control of IBM after his father, Thomas Watson Sr.. Although much has happened to IBM since then (the job cuts, the internet boom, etc.), this is a fascinating glimpse at the evolution of big blue and the culture it once had.

   The Watsons did not start IBM but they did oversee its growth into "Big Blue". Some of the anecdotes are quite memorable, the strict sales "uniform" (including sock suspenders), the refining and gentrifiying of the sales staff & executives, Thomas Sr. teaching his son to clean-up the bathroom on the train, the high-flyer told to forgo his tenant problems by Watson Sr.. It seems all tycoons and corporations have some skeletons in their cupboards and IBM is no exception. According to the book, Thomas Sr. and other senior executives at IBM started a business buying up old IBM equipment so prevent a second-hand market developing that would eat into IBM's market. It almost landed the Thomas Sr. and his colleagues in prison. Watson Sr. spent a great deal of time developing himself and his people to become refined, gentlemen with values and priorities. In these sad days of scum CEOs & executives, duplicitous companies, corrupt accountants & lawyers and valueless company "books" (Enron, WorldComm, Tyco, Merrill-Lynch, Arthur-Anderson, Martha Stewart,...) the incident may seem like grist to the mill but at that time it must have been a huge blow to the man and the company. A decent book if you have an interest in IBM or the history of the computer business.




2. It is always interesting to read what sons have to write about their fathers. Thomas J. Watson Jr.'s book is no exception to this rule. Although in many ways the book is a business biography, the relationship between the two men creeps in between the lines (almost more than you could imagine that the author had intended it to). Watson Jr. was clearly influenced by his iconic father, both for better and for worse. The book is a lot about how that influence (and the escape from that influence) shaped the company that is IBM today.
   
   Obviously the company has gone through many changes since this book has written-- Gerstner, downsizing, eBusiness, Business Consulting Services, etc. But still, it is remarkable how much of the culture is recognizable back to the very earliest days.
   
   I have a special interest in the subject matter, so it is hard for me to say how fascinating someone without an IBM attachment would find the book. If you do have that special interest in IBM history, however, it is an interesting book and well executed.



3. This is not a story that I had really expected to enjoy; I found this book in a hostel in Europe, and with nothing in English to read I gladly snapped it up. Father, Son & Co wound up being a very interesting and enjoyable book, and even though it is more than 15 years old now, it still gives tremendous insights into the rise of IBM and the evolution of the computer. Within two generations of the Watson family, business advanced from the Robber Barons of the 19th century to the big corporations of the 20th, and during this same period the computer advanced from punch-card machines into the electronic machines we use today. It is hard to look at a PC and see a direct connection to horse-and-buggy days, but that is the story Thomas Watson and Peter Petre tell.
   
   A huge swath of American history is encompassed within this book; major events are witnessed and lived out by Watson and his family. But Watson also shows how family relationships have changed over the last hundred years by comparing his relationship with his father and siblings to those of his own children. Those older among us empathize with Watson completely-we took for granted, even thrived, within familial relationships that probably would not be tolerated today. But Watson also shows how primogeniture aids the affluent whether the offspring are gifted or not. To his credit, Watson admits this and does not set himself up as any more special than anyone else. He (and curiously his father as well) is rare in American business: he is a liberal and believes he owes something to his country. Would that this sentiment was felt more widely in the higher levels of business, government, and society.



4. Indeed a truly heart-warming, rivetting story. One of the best - possibly the best - bios that I have ever read. This is a story about IBM, the big blue corporate monolith. Yet in its core, this is really the story of a Son, a father and the relationship between them. Once into the pages of the book, you will soon realise that IBM is just a necessary but incidental backdrop to a father-son relationship..It's a book that talks of a strict yet loving father, and a son working his way up to gain his father's approval and affection. A very humane tale, devoid of any overt management jargon or mantra that seems to be the norm in most bios by business leaders, it is a surprise that nobody has thought of making a movie out of this story.
   
   Touching. Warmly recommend to everyone.



5. This is a brilliant autobiography from one of the most talented business figures in last century. This book is unique for two reasons: (1) seldom had an author who had had experienced so much and accomplished so much; (2) his keen observation of human natures - expressed in a self-deprecating and humorous manner.
   
   In the end, you could tell Watson Jr. afterall was very self-assured of himself - at least toward the last phase of his life. Otherwise, it would be hard to explain how he would be willing to be vulnerable and reveal so much - about his own psyche, his family feud and IBM in general.
   
   This is a highly readable autobiography - highly recommended.

5 comments about Oracle Database 10g Insider Solutions.

1. This book is easy to follow and drives straight into chapters essential for 10g. It does a wonderful job and covers installations on various platforms, new features and approach for identifying the performance issues. It provides practical advice using practical approach, tips and examples. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is learning or working with 10g.



2. Highly recommended reference book for DBA's that are familiar with previous version of Oracle and wants to find out the new features of 10g.



3. This book covers Release 2 of Oracle 10G. Concepts are presented in a clear manner. Each chapter can read in an hour or so. This is a great place to start for new DBAs. For experience DBAs, this a great book to get to know the New Features. Book is very easily read. Best book to learn Oracle 10g R2.



4. This is a really good book to have by an Oracle DBA for Oracle 10g reference. This book will help the Oracle DBA to identify and implement Oracle 10g new features. It has good tips for performance and tuning and setting up ASM. I give this book 5 star rating.



5. This is the best "How to" book on Oracle. I have read around 20 books on Oracle (I reviewed most of them on Amazon) and this one is the most practical Oracle book for intermediate to advance Oracle DBAs.
   
   The book skips most of the architecture and goes directly on how to configure and use some of the most salient features of Oracle 10g.
   
   Some of the examples are:
   
   1)How to manually install RAC instance
   2)How to migrate Non-ASM to ASM disks and vice versa.
   3)How to collect AWR reports using builtin scripts.
   4)How to install CRS
   5)How to Flashback Database and Flashback Table.
   6)How to Patch Dataguard Instances
   7)How to use flashback in Dataguard Standby.
   8)How to manually remove Oracle Instances.
   9)How to upgrade RMAN Catalog.
   10)How to use Wait statistics to measure and improve performance.
   
   Not all the topics are advanced. But it still helps to get down to the fundamentals, even for the advanced DBA with decade or more of experience.
   
   I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to expand/improve their Oracle 10G skillset.

5 comments about Oracle Database Programming Using Java and Web Services.

1. I have been working on different projects building enterprise level software involving many J2EE and Database technologies. One of the major frustration facing developers is how "practical information" related to these two worlds are completely isolated from one another, in fact, it is very common to see the majority of today's developers specializing in one of them and completely ignoring the other. The few who actually can keep following up with both can understand and achieve a lot more.
   I found the information in this book to be complete; it describes the notions, the architectures (even those details that are hard to find anywhere) and it gives detailed examples on how it will look like in the code which cuts learning time for engineers a lot.



2. If you use Java and/or Oracle (Or if only you've planned to), this is THE book you miss ! Complete and easy to read, every concept comes with samples and scripts. Full of informations that I didn't find anywhere else, I've learned a lot. When it talks about something I already knows, it does it so well : "There is probably no better ways to explain things".



3. I've been programming in C++, Corba and Java for years and was looking for a book to develop agaisnt the Oracle database. First of all this book is well written and at a glance, it covers all the API and utilities that a Java developer may use to exploit the Oracle database including Java in the database, JDBC, SQLJ, JPublisher and Database Web services ( Corba folks like myself will love the Web services part). You will be amazed reading through this book all the possibilities that Java in the database allows ; the Groovy and Jython stored procedures are just well presented. I am right now digging into Part-II dedicated to JDBC, the Rowset API, RAC support, etc. This book will provide great career advancement opportunities. I strongly recommend this book to my Java developers fellows.



4. This book has a good deal of information that is accessible. However, several coding examples are incomplete and in some cases misleading. Given the strengths of the book, they are probably oversights or space limitations. The missing code segments are too frequently in the wrong places.
   
   The code examples predominate the book. Hidden gems are nested where readers only find them searching out topics. On a bright note, the index is good at locating what is in the book.



5. I've been doing Oracle database-related application design and development since before Java even existed. As time progressed, Java became more and more prevalent in the Enterprise environment, web servers became application servers, and before you knew it, Java was being run right in the database.
   
   It has always been difficult and confusing to figure out the various Java technologies and tools and implementations when it comes to a complete Enterprise system... until now.
   
   Kuassi does a remarkable job of providing keen and detailed insight into all aspects of Java in the Oracle Database realm.
   
   A nice, logical technical progression as well as very detailed code samples make this book useful for those wishing to introduce themselves to the basic concepts, or write a specific implementation.
   
   The detailed case studies that show real code used in real world solutions are invaluable. (We've already implemented one of them for a new project we're starting on!)
   
   All in all, it's an excellent book and should be on the shelf of any DBA/Developer that has anything to do with Java in their environment.

5 comments about Oracle SQL*Loader: The Definitive Guide.

1. This is the place to start if you want to know about SQL*Loader. The authors do a great job on covering how to use SQL*Loader and all the little nuances that it has. They also sprinkles in some good advise on how to handle situation that will probably come up when you use SQL*Loader. The back cover of the book indicates that it is updated for Oracle 9i. I have a little reservation about that because the book was written with an early release of Oracle 9i (it states so on page xii and xii).

   Bottom line: start with this book for the easy read and clear explanations. Then go to the Oracle 9i doc for the updates like the Control File being expanded to include new parameters.




2. I searched through several manuals and guides on Oracle only to discover that very few cover the SQL Loader tool in great detail. This book does so, and in a way that's fairly easy to read. It is a huge benefit over the sparse 2-3 pages of documentation you'll typically find elsewhere.



3. I have been dealing with databases for over three years now.
   Right now I am doing Siebel Consulting in which Enterprise Integration Module(EIM) is responsible for data transfer from any source to Sieble database. I came across a requirement where I had to use Oracle SQL Loader, so I went looking for a good book.
   This 250 page book tells you everything you need to know about SQL Loader in less time than any other. Lots of code and real time examples.
   Worth having as ref book for all DBAs or even developers.
   Five Stars for sure.



4. This little book is a lifesaver. I have benefitted a lot from the examples provided in this book. SQL Loader can be hard but very easy if you have a guide like this book.



5. This book contains a somewhat disjointed overview of SQL*Loader. It starts to explain something and then shows one little example of a character column, for instance. But then there is nothing at all about what to do if the column is a number or date. It explains a lot but it shows little. A very frustrating book.
   
   Oracle's SQL*Loader is fragile, counter-intuitive, dated, and hard to work with. If there were ANY other books available, I would try one of those instead.

1 comments about Oracle Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence Solutions.

1. Enjoyed reading this book as more of an intro the various aspects and challenges as well as some of the offerings from Oracle on Data Warehousing and BI.

5 comments about Oracle Application Server 10g Web Development (Oracle Press).

1. This is a much-needed title and Chris Ostrowski has done an excellent job in covering all of the topical areas of 10gAS web development.
   
   The text is clear and easy-to-read and he has excellent real-world examples.
   
   I espcially like the sections on deploying with J2EE and XML, and the discussion on using JDeveloper. This is an excellent companion book for the "Oracle Application Server 10g Administration Handbook", and overall, an excellent, well-written text.



2. Great book. I've been waiting for this book to be release and I wasn't disappointed. Full of great information on how to put this great Oracle tool to work. Easy explanations and great examples will have you up and programming in no time. The authors real know their stuff. Great Job! If you use Oracle's application server, this book is a must have!



3. I used this book to deploy Oracle 10g Applications through Oracle Developer Suite 10g and JDeveloper 10g. I felt that it was a good book and overall I have little ill to say about it. The examples are well written and do a good job of reinforcing what you read in the chapter. You read a little then do an example, then read some more, then add to the example and so on. You don't need any Programming experience to use this book just a decent understanding of programming logic. The only criticism I could offer is that the editor should have used arrows when content is being continued on a new line for reasons of page space so that readers will know and understand (beginners can have trouble with this). It's a good book for learning Oracle 10g Applications as a whole from the ground up and for this reason it's worth the money. It's not an overnight crash course (if that is what you are looking for).



4. Je suis analyste d'affaires en Entrepot de donnees (Datawarehousing). Mon organisation a choisi Oracle Portal comme plate-forme de presentation de l'information d'affaires contenue dans l'Entrepot.
   
   La lecture de "Oracle AS 10g Web Devevelopment" a ete une source d'aide tres precieuse dans ce projet. Je recommande et conseil ce livre a tous les analystes qui ont a monter un projet avec Oracle Portal.



5. If you want to know how to use OAS 10g with your development tools, this book is cover it. But not too detail. I hope I can find a book with best practise suggestion how to use OAS10g with form and report or java tools.

5 comments about Optimizing Oracle Performance.

1. I purchased this book and did not open it for about 4 months. After reading the first 25 pages or so I became motivated to read more and finish it. It took me about 2 weeks to read through the entire book. The author does a really good job of detailing how to use Oracle tracing to troubleshoot performance related issues. With no shortage of Oracle performance tuning books this is definitely one of the better ones. This book must be one of the best performance related books because you can read it cover to cover. The book is packed with detail so you will reread several pages a few times, kind of like being in college and spending a couple of hours reviewing a couple of pages out of Calculus book.
   
   If you are at all serious about becoming better at Oracle tuning this is a great book to read.



2. I like the wait approach very much. DIS buk prezNts a scientific approach 2 prob diagnosis & performance optimization. DIS aLowz optimization F4tz 2 b consistent & repeatable. DIS buk tAkz Oracle prob diagnosis & tuning out of d realm of bn a BWO art.



3. This book is so interesting that on a couple occasions I've fallen asleep reading it, because I want to "find out what happens next" -- not because it is boring. Even the chapter on queueing theory that has a lot of math in it is understandable and interesting, even though I have a mild aversion to math.
   
   It has highlighted a lot of very useful techniques to ensure you focus on the true problems, and not the various ratios we've taken as absolute truth for so many years. I can't wait to try these concepts out!



4. There are certain "camps" in the worldwide Oracle community. For example, there is the "Oak Table Network" of "Oracle scientists" who seek thorough understandings of issues backed up by details, tests and proofs. Contrasting is the "Silver Bullet" family of field-tested generals who prefer rules of thumb and quick fixes even it means some false understandings and occasionally being wrong. Cary Millsap (of the Oak Table Network) stands as someone respected by both sides.
   
   Cary Millsap worked at Oracle for 10 years on system performance before co-founding Hotsos in 1999 [...]. He is one of the most trusted sources on matters of Oracle system performance, and "Optimizing Oracle Performance" is considered his finest work (4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon). The best way to learn more about him is to see for yourself. Here are some of his most popular articles:
   
   "Diagnosing Performance Problems" from Oracle Magazine. A brief summary of what is covered in this book[...]
   
   "Introduction", the first chapter from "Optimizing Oracle Performance."Chapter 1: [...]
   
   "Case Study", the 12th chapter from "Optimizing Oracle Performance."Chapter 12 (Case Study): [...]
   
   "Performance Management: Myths and Facts." One of his most popular articles.[...]
   
   "Why a 99%+ Database Buffer Cache Hit Ratio is Not Ok." Another of his more popular articles.[...]
   
   While everyone will have their own favourite parts of the book, I think most readers would agree that getting a good taste of the author's performance tuning philosophy is one of the highlights. "Method R", not to be confused with "System R" (ie. SQL), is not about looking at STATSPACK, cache hit ratios, or V$ tables and guessing. The author wanted to devise a system to identify and resolve the top performance concerns of an organisation with reliable, predictable results. The first few chapters put this method in writing in perhaps the best way since the introduction of "YAPP" (Anjo Kolk).
   
   "The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the fraction of the execution time that the improved feature is used." - Amdahl's Law
   
   After several years of research, the author discovered that Extended SQL Trace Data was at the centre of "Method R". Some of the articles should give you a good taste of what Extended SQL Trace data is, if you didn't know already. By the time you finish reading this book you will know exactly how to collect and interpret all the little "ela=17101 p1=10 p2=2213 p3=1 ..." within into something meaningful. For some, that justifies the price tag right there.
   
   So in essence I would have re-named this book "Method R: Optimizing Oracle Performance Using Extended SQL Trace Data," because that is basically what this book is about. There are some reasonably "stand-alone" chapters on other topics, for instance on the Oracle Fixed View tables (Chapter 8) and on Queueing Theory (Chapter 9), but that is not the primary focus of the book.
   
   Those that are expecting a more broad treatment of the subject of performance tuning may be justifiably disappointed that it basically covers only this narrow aspect. However, it is covered very well, and it isn't really covered anywhere else. The author makes no apologies for this, claiming that extended SQL trace data is the only resource you will ever need for diagnosing and solving performance problems.
   
   "You cannot extrapolate detail from an aggregate." - Cary Millsap's preference of SQL extended trace data over fixed views (system-wide average performance characteristics)
   
   Indeed, some people might contend that the author spends a little too much time stating his beliefs, defending them, and patting himself on the back. But I think it adds a certain flavour to the book, and I respect an author who backs up his statements.
   
   "Proving that V$ data are superior to extended SQL trace data because of the 'missing time' issue is analagous to proving that its safer to be in a room with a hungry bear if you'll just close your eyes." - Cary Millsap
   
   The book can be a tough read in the sense that the author goes very deep into the material, and generally each subject is treated thoroughly. Chapter 9 on Queueing Theory can be a particularly overwhelming chapter. But the material is served in bite-size pieces, and broken up with tips, tricks, stories, diagrams and code (sometimes 3+ pages worth at a time, embedded directly in the middle of a chapter). There are even worthwhile exercises at the end of each chapter.
   
   In the end, I enjoyed this book and I'm glad I got it. I don't consider it a "must have" for your Oracle collection, but I definitely feel it is quite worthwhile. I recommend it especially to those who read his articles and were very comfortable with his writing style and philosophy, and also to those that need a book on extended SQL trace data (because this is basically the only one). But even those in the "Silver Bullet" camp will be glad to add another tool to their belt.
   
   Thumbs up.



5. This book covers Oracle 8 and 9. But its technical explanations are very much valid for Oracle 10g.
   
   Although the author's beautiful explanation of 10046 traces and waits are worth its weight in gold, much of the information could have been condensed into fewer pages. Regrettably, most of the book are fillers. The author tries to explain much of his thoughts in mathematical formuls (nothing difficult) but it didn't add to the comprehension of the topic.
   
   One thing which made this book stand out was the problems and exercises at the end of each chapter. They were helpful, and unique among Oracle books, in enabling the reader to understand the topic more thoroughly.
   
   Overall, I recommend this book. But I have read better, and more comprehensive, books on the Oracle performance.