OK! OK! How about just the #1 Thing. JEESH!
1-Minute (or Less) Summary
If you need assistance with knowing how to properly do something with Oracle, the best resource is the Oracle Help Center.
The Whole Story
The inconvenient truth is that Oracle, along every other tech company, regular company, organization, group, association, and even individual website, is reached via Google. Users, even those of you reading this blog, went to Google, entered a query, and clicked on a link from the search results. Now, you are here.
Does everything come through Google? No! Of course not. But, the overwhelming majority of sources come through Google. In fact, sometimes new and interesting resources are found by clicking unexpected links in search results.
Why are they unexpected? What does that mean? Why doesn’t Google just send Oracle searches to Oracle? Or Microsoft searches to Microsoft? Cisco to Cisco? And so on? The answer is Google’s hidden search algorithm. It is their proprietary algorithm. They control it, and they keep its inner workings secret. They also do not provide easy ways for vendors to influence the results.
Sure! Sure! You can pay for ad words. But, by now, everyone knows that this isn’t always helpful. For instance, if I want to buy bicycle tires, and I want a specific brand of bicycle tire, I could google it. But! I might see other bicycle tire ads before I saw what I wanted. ARGH! Now, sometimes this is good. Maybe I just wanted new bicycle tires, and the ad will get me good tires sometimes for less money. But, sometimes this is bad. I may get referenced to sites that sell them more expensively. But, they were the first link I was given. All in all, search results are a mixed bag.
The same is true for Oracle, or any other tech company software. The search results will contain links to Oracle. But, they may not be the first links that you see. And if you go to one of those links, they may or may not have the information you are seeking.
Here is what is worse! They may have information that is out-of-date or just plain wrong for your version of the software. This is true of Oracle and every other tech. It is NOT that those websites are trying to fool you. They aren’t. They try to help. They serve great purposes. You should read them. HECK! You are reading one of them now!
BUT! Be aware that you should check the recommendation against what Oracle publishes formally. And! What Oracle publishes formally is on the Oracle Help Center. You this website. Become familiar with it. Reference it often for your Oracle related questions.
