Oracle To Offer A Free Database

An anonymous reader writes "ZDNet News reports that Oracle is likely to announce a free version of its Oracle 10g Database. Oracle Database 10g Express Edition will be free for development and production use, and could even be distributed with other products. What does this mean for the future of MySQL and PostgreSQL?" From the article: "By introducing a free entry-level product, Oracle intends to get more developers and students familiar with its namesake database, Mendelsohn said. Those customers, Oracle hopes, will eventually upgrade to a higher-end version."

Re:It Could Backfire

[mysticwhiskey]

If anyone and his dog could administer an Oracle database, what will happen to the professional Oracle DBA's? THINK OF THE DBA'S!!! ;)

Re:SQL For Fun?

[Dystopian Rebel]

I initially installed it just to experiment with SQL and database normalization, but now I keep my comic book inventory on it.

Welcome to /. O Kindred Spirit! Your journey has been long, but now you have found us and you may rest.

I know that this is like swatting a fly with a nuclear weapon

That's a game scheduled for release at Christmas.

Re:It Could Backfire

[rabel]

Yeah, well I am an OCP DBA from version 8 through 10g and I'll be the first one to tell you to *keep your mouth shut* It's a piece of cake to manage these databases and the big DBA secret is that any moron can do this job. Oracle goes out of their way to make it all completely freaking whacked-out complicated to do anything, but it's still just command line nonsense. Spend 15 minutes reading the concepts manual, pirate a copy of T.O.A.D. and you can be a DBA too.

You wanna know what it takes to be an Oracle DBA? The first 2.5 days of any Oracle DBA class is simply learning how to repeat the mantra of the DBA. Ok, everyone say it with me now:

It's not a problem with the database.

I suppose I should turn in my OCP membership card now since I've spilled the beans. Go on, try to look your DBA in the eyes without laughing at him the next time he gives you the DBA mantra.

Re:First Post

[kcelery]

it is interesting to find that no one is suggesting 'a beowulf cluster of free Oracles'.