Author: user

When I was in Ottawa, Christo Kutrovsky asked me to talk about Parallel Execution for the series of Pythian Goodies he’s organising. After I’d done it, I insisted that he let me see the video before it was published on the web so that I could make sure that I was happy with it. After… Continue reading Pythian Goodies – PX

Well, after months of prevarication, staring into space and waiting hours for about five words to come out, I finally had the breakthrough that I was looking for with the Hotsos Symposium paper today. I wouldn’t say it was 12 hours solid work, but I haven’t done much else. It’s still not actually finished of… Continue reading Almost There

I remember reading this posting on Mogens Norgaard’s blog, leaning back in my seat somewhat smugly and thinking – ‘Oh, yes. UK anti-money-laundering legislation. I know all about that. Poor man’. Well, without wanting to be too unkind to RBS who are just following the rules, I’ve had my own minor trials opening a business… Continue reading The Continuing Tale of RBS

While working on the PX paper for Hotsos, I’ve been trying to show the same issue using different tools that people might have available to them and struggled to get OraSRP working on Solaris 10. From digging around the net I started to realised that the Python distribution included in Solaris 10 isn’t the best.… Continue reading OraSRP

Raj Thukral at work pointed out this very interesting paper.

Three letters that I am positively sick of hearing. I remember reading about this first on Peter K’s blog and – shame on me – it registered but wasn’t top of my to do list. Well, it is now. Several other bloggers including Chris Foot have talked about the changes in the date that Daylight… Continue reading DST

Now if this doesn’t look like one of the best Oracle Conferences of all time, I don’t know what is, and I’m not exaggerating. I’m biased, of course, because I’m looking forward to seeing quite a few friends be able to enjoy the unique atmosphere and benefits of the place I call home. (The Castle, that… Continue reading Miracle Scotland Database Forum 2007

This is another blog that’s been kicking around the dusty alleys of my mind for a week or so. I have a running joke with Paul Vallee and Alex Gorbachev that, should they find themselves in Edinburgh in future, they’d better arrange some hotel accommodation, don’t upset the waitresses and don’t come round my place… Continue reading Hospitality

Prompted by Linda’s comment on a previous blog, I thought it might be worth writing a couple of postings on DBA documentation. The first thing you need is a Database Catalogue of some kind. Benefits1) Even an experienced DBA arriving on site won’t know what servers exist, how to login to them, what versions you… Continue reading DBA Documentation – Catalogue

Song of the Week, particularly towards the second half, has been ‘Sunshine on Leith’. Now I know I’m home-sick 😉 (I also know this will break off relations between Andy C and I forever.) So, to be about as wildly off-topic (Oracle, moaning and cuddly toys) as I’ve ever been …. There’s something quintessentially Scottish… Continue reading While The Chief …