Home » Other » Training & Certification » Java useful for Oracle database guys? (Java 7)
Java useful for Oracle database guys? [message #603041] Wed, 11 December 2013 03:04 Go to next message
rc3d
Messages: 213
Registered: September 2013
Location: Baden-Württemberg
Senior Member
Hi

I asked my boss for PL/SQL programming and DB administration training. His answer was "you have strong DB skills no further training needed". That is a joke, I am a DB newbie(OCA 11g), when browsing this forum I am far away from strong DB skills.

My boss pays me training Java SE 7 Fundamentals [1Z0-803] and afterwards the next higher course [1Z0-804].

Now my question: is Java skills useful for DB dev and DBA? Does Java help me if I wish later to switch to a DB role? Is Java a useful language for DB pro?

At the moment I am programming in UNIX Shell.
Re: Java useful for Oracle database guys? [message #603053 is a reply to message #603041] Wed, 11 December 2013 03:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Littlefoot
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Oh well. I believe that it is good to know Java. If you are going to use it.

A year ago I got the opportunity to attend 5-days Java classes for absolute beginners. The lecturer left the last day for our questions, so we asked him to create a simple master-detail "application" based on Scott's EMP and DEPT tables (that would be a simple task in Oracle Forms Builder). That poor guy spent several hours (using Eclipse, as a tool) and the result was ... huh, doubtful (we lost patience and asked him to quit). During that time, a man who sat next to me opened his Delphi IDE and created a working solution in a matter of minutes.

Therefore, I'd say that Java is good for many things. You can probably do anything you want using Java. It will work on many platforms. Quite a few "pros". One major "contra": there's nothing I could use Java for in what I currently do.

As of yourself, no idea. If your boss is willing to pay Java training(s) for you, take the chance! (You'd be stupid if you don't). It won't do any harm, but might make some good - maybe not instantly, but you can never know.
Re: Java useful for Oracle database guys? [message #603064 is a reply to message #603053] Wed, 11 December 2013 04:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
martijn
Messages: 286
Registered: December 2006
Location: Netherlands
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Littlefoot wrote on Wed, 11 December 2013 10:53
Oh well. I believe that it is good to know Java. If you are going to use it.
I agree.
Quote:
A year ago I got the opportunity to attend 5-days Java classes for absolute beginners. The lecturer left the last day for our questions, so we asked him to create a simple master-detail "application" based on Scott's EMP and DEPT tables (that would be a simple task in Oracle Forms Builder). That poor guy spent several hours (using Eclipse, as a tool) and the result was ... huh, doubtful (we lost patience and asked him to quit). During that time, a man who sat next to me opened his Delphi IDE and created a working solution in a matter of minutes.
I'm afraid that you instructor was not real good one. With netbeans (another EDI) I believe I can create a JAVA application for emp and dept whitin let's say 10 minutes. That's 10 because I' not to experienced.

Quote:
Therefore, I'd say that Java is good for many things. You can probably do anything you want using Java. It will work on many platforms. Quite a few "pros". One major "contra": there's nothing I could use Java for in what I currently do.

As of yourself, no idea. If your boss is willing to pay Java training(s) for you, take the chance! (You'd be stupid if you don't). It won't do any harm, but might make some good - maybe not instantly, but you can never know.

Indeed, it will never hurt to have some broader knowledge of applications and the way they interact with the database.
So I would take the course.
Re: Java useful for Oracle database guys? [message #603066 is a reply to message #603053] Wed, 11 December 2013 04:39 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ThomasG
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Registered: April 2005
Location: Heilbronn, Germany
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As with most programming languages, it depends on the frameworks you use. There are a lot of frameworks that simplify the creation of "Database Forms" in Java, for example in this list.

I write most of my frontend stuff in Java, and never found one that suited me, so after few years I have grown my own "in-house" frameworks to make life easier. For exable an "SQL Table" that is based on JTable and generates an editable/sortable/excel exportable/etc... JTable based on a SQL select, tailored to the data that we need to store. For example with a "Article Number Editor/Renderer" where you can not only enter an article number but also search for articles, view further article information in the tool tip etc.. and other stuff that most "general-purpose" frameworks can't do.
Re: Java useful for Oracle database guys? [message #603119 is a reply to message #603041] Wed, 11 December 2013 08:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Lalit Kumar B
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Registered: May 2013
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rc3d wrote on Wed, 11 December 2013 14:34
is Java skills useful for DB dev and DBA? Does Java help me if I wish later to switch to a DB role? Is Java a useful language for DB pro?


Of course it will be useful for you. For that matter, adding new technology skills will always be helpful.

And I firmly believe, any DB application developer should have at least basic knowledge about frontend. I have not yet worked on a left alone DB which does not have any application. Ultimately, it is the application which is developed, supported and maintained. DB tasks are backend.
Re: Java useful for Oracle database guys? [message #603160 is a reply to message #603041] Wed, 11 December 2013 21:04 Go to previous messageGo to next message
matthewmorris68
Messages: 258
Registered: May 2012
Location: Orlando, FL
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Java is one of the most widely-used languages around right now. Learning to program in it has a high probability of being useful to you at some point in your career. I use PL/SQL for my Oracle coding needs, but there have been times I would like to have known more Java. There are some functions that work better in Java than PL/SQL. On two occasions when I worked at Oracle, I took a starter class on Java. Unfortunately, I had no Java project to work on at the time, so very little of it stayed with me. You can't simply take a class (or a certification) in a language. You have to actually develop in it for a while in order for the knowledge to become ingrained. If your manager wants you to take the training, presumably this is what you will do. Take the opportunity and learn as much as you can.

As to whether or not Java is useful to a DBA -- I am a DBA/Developer. I use PL/SQL for my development, but I could just has easily have used Java for much of my work. Companies like hiring employees with multiple skills. You may find yourself hired by a company that needs a Java developer that can back up their DBA. You then might end up replacing the DBA in time, or simply building experience as the backup until you move to a new company as the primary DBA.
Re: Java useful for Oracle database guys? [message #603217 is a reply to message #603160] Thu, 12 December 2013 03:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
rc3d
Messages: 213
Registered: September 2013
Location: Baden-Württemberg
Senior Member
I forgot to mention one important fact.
Every training I will attend, I must pass the exam.

I think Oracle Certified Associate, Java SE 7 Programmer [1Z0-803] is OK, but the next one very complicated.
Re: Java useful for Oracle database guys? [message #603243 is a reply to message #603217] Thu, 12 December 2013 09:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
matthewmorris68
Messages: 258
Registered: May 2012
Location: Orlando, FL
Senior Member

Quote:
Every training I will attend, I must pass the exam.


Well if you are taking the training, presumably it's in order to take the test. The training itself is useful, but what is valuable over the course of your career is the certification showing that you learned enough to pass the exam. An attendence certificate from a course means little. You get one even if you sleep through the whole thing.

Is he saying pass or be fired? I find that hard to believe, but possible I suppose. If he is actually paying for OU-sourced training for these exams -- that's some of the best preparation material around. OU training and the exams are very closely linked. The classes plus some diligence on your part preparing shouldn't make passing the exams a severe problem.
Re: Java useful for Oracle database guys? [message #603262 is a reply to message #603041] Thu, 12 December 2013 12:52 Go to previous message
rc3d
Messages: 213
Registered: September 2013
Location: Baden-Württemberg
Senior Member
No. I won't be fired (directly). But I will receive low points in assessment Embarassed
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