Can we *_PLEASE_* have a .sig for Oracle forums?

Question

I have requested this before and I will go on doing so (every year, I suppose)
until the people at Oracle listen.
Why - OH WHY* can we not have a 5 line .sig for our posts to this forum?
I am blue in the face from trying to tell people to put
Software - DB Server version - OS (+ version)
Hardware - CPU config - Disk config
into their posts re. Oracle databases and running/tuning queries &c.
Please support my campaign - SOS - (Start Our .Sig!!!) NOW*
Paul...

Answer 1

Paulie wrote:
>
Paulie wrote:
Please include all of the following information with database queries.
Software - OS (+ version), Server,
Hardware - CPU + Disk configuration.
In order to adequately respond, you really should be collecting an RDA <g>. A Recursive Decision Algorithm? Or
a Relational Distributed Architecture? Possibly
a Random Duplicate Allocation?
I think you probably mean a Requirement Development Analysis?
No. I mean the Remote Diagnostic Agent output. The one that you are asked to submit with an Oracle Support technical Service Request.
Surely you are aware of the Support requirement for that information.
>
At the very least you should get both client Maybe I'm just incredibly naive - I start by assuming
that the client can connect with the server... having
said that, I appreciate that there can be compatibility
issues.
I ain't talking about compatibilty. Having a 'I gonna be an Oracle guru'-type tell you that he's installed the Oracle client on XP Home and has no idea what a firewall is can be useful troubleshooting infomation.
And then there is the "I can't get Forms 4.0 to connect to my 11g database" challenge.
>
and server OS (including family, edition, version I'll go with this.
and patch level ), Patch level? I don't think the .sig should be longer than
the post - If the debate starts to have to get to the level
of patch level, then it's gone way beyond the scope
of a .sig.
The vast majority* of problems IMHO aren't related
to patches, but are (normally) far simpler than that!
Knowing whether the user is at 10.2.0.1 or 10.2.0.4 is not important to you? Knowing whether the user is running Windows XP Pro SP2 or SP3 is not important? WHether the database is on XP Home or Vista Bliss and Pleasure Edtion could be as uninterestinng as whether the user has updated to the latest WIndows Defender.
>
>
Oracle product (you are assuming database, but ...)Well, database would be my interest area, and I normally only post
to those fora!
And the rest of us are schmucks? <g>
>
Memory config might be more important than disk, especially
if looking at Java issues, and that includes any OEM issues.Well, yes, obviously RAM would come into the equation - I would
have thought that would be under the rubric of Hardware.
SGA and PGA are memory configurations. In Linux and Unix, the SHMEM and SEM parameters are memory config. Last time I looked they were not part of hardware.
Knowing whether the user has 1G of RAM and the hardware steaks 512M of that for video could also be useful. But is that hardware or software? The typical newb gonna tell you "but my machine has 1GB RAM".
>
You may want to simpily by setting up a blog with your rant (a bit
like mine at http://hansforbrich.blogspot.com/2008/07/
why-do-they-always-ask-for-version.html) and just linking your sig to the blog.The problem with links is that those who don't bother to read
forum guidelines are even less likely to bother to go further and
follow a link before posting - though I will, myself, certainly be
casting an eye over yours from time to time.
The problem with ranting in .sigs is that people will ignore that.
If you look very carefully, 99% of the problems in the forums come from people who don't read AT ALL. It doesn't matter whether you use a .sig (I used 'em foir years in CDOS) or provide a link.
Seems like many of those who have trouble and turn to the forums go deaf, dumb, blind and schtoopyd, just when the most important tools they need are reading and thinking.
>
Rgs.
Paul...Do takie my response with a grain of salt. It has more to do with Devil's Advocate and what feels like twenty-umpteen-two years of responding to Oracle questions. And using .sigs even back in my Compuserve days ealy to mid 90s.
/Hans
(aka Fuzzy Greybeard)