RMAN - returning to prior incarnations

Question

I was practicing backups with my colleagues, and we shut down the database twice, reopening it both times with 'resetlogs', without backing it up in between. The database lacked the archivelog it needed for recovery the last time, so we read the docs and prepared to return to a previous incarnation.
We returned to 3 incarnations prior and restored/recovered using:
RMAN> restore database "to_date('9/2/04 23:59:59','mm/dd/yy hr24:mi:ss');
RMAN> recover database "to_date('9/2/04 23:59:59','mm/dd/yy hr24:mi:ss');
I have two questions:
1) What did returning to the prior incarnation gain for us? Seems like I could've just issued the restore/recover commands and performed an incomplete recovery.
2) Do I need to remove the archive logs from the 2 later incarnations, or is RMAN smart enough to know that they don't apply?
Thanks,
Chuck

Answer 1

ckd38 wrote:
I bought my Samsung Continuum the day after Thanksgiving of last year, November 26. Originally, I intended to sell the Continuum and purchase the iPhone at retail price. However, just tonight,  I stumbled upon Verizon's return page that said they were extending the 30 day return policy to phones that were purchased from November 27th on. The last day to do this is tomorrow. The problem is I bought my phone exactly ONE day before this cutoff date. Tomorrow, I plan on going to the store to see if they will make an exception and let me return it. Then, my plan now is to activate my old phone (Samsung Rogue) until the iPhone would arrive in February and get it for $199 instead of $599.
How flexible is Verizon with these kinds of things? And do you think this will work? I will be begging the store manager tomorrow to see if they wil take it back as I wont have to pay retail and just pay the subsidized price for the iPhone. It would really stink if that one day will cost me.
Any thoughts?
Also, one other question. If the "Smartphones Talk Free Promotion" happens to still be in effect for the iPhone, would I be eligible still? (I am a secondary line and the Continuum was my first smartphone). I am not sure as technically, the iPhone would be my 2nd smartphone once I return my current one (hopefully),
Thanks!
I hate to be the harbinger of bad news, but you are probably going to be burdened with the Continuum because of that one day. The store may help if you are really nice, but it is unlikely. Work the charm and charisma, though. It is the least that you could do.