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Thread: Featured articles - criteria?

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  1. #1
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    Featured articles - criteria?

    http://www.dbasupport.com/oracle/ora10g/get_up_go.shtml

    No offense to the author, but what is an article like this doing on the mainpage of this site? What's the criteria to post articles here? If there are any that is..

    Can anyone post musings on any random topic here?

    PS : Some of the technical articles are so mundane and trivial..and are invariably culled directly from documentation or metalink whitepapers.

  2. #2
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    Amen to that!
    Jurij Modic
    ASCII a stupid question, get a stupid ANSI
    24 hours in a day .... 24 beer in a case .... coincidence?

  3. #3
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    Re: Featured articles - criteria?

    Originally posted by Axr2
    PS : Some of the technical articles are so mundane and trivial..and are invariably culled directly from documentation or metalink whitepapers.
    Please don't take me wrong. I am not being or do not feel defensive about what you posted, and I don't know if you were referring to me at all. Here is some background on what takes place.

    So where do ideas for articles come from? The people who write for this website come up with articles on their own. The authors are paid a small fee. Would you want to spend 10 hours doing research and testing, and a few hours writing and make $6 an hour, or write/spend your time so it makes the pay rate more worthwhile? Articles here are $100 for 1000 words +/-. Oracle Magazine pays $1250 for articles, and they are a bit longer. Some of them are quite mundane. You want nuts and bolts down and dirty technical articles, then offer to make it worth someone's time.

    You also have to consider the target level of the audience. The vast majority are newbies to junior people. Personally, that is the level I write towards for the most part because that is where I feel I can do the most good in terms of helping people. I have yet to receive an email complaining about what I wrote (with the exception of a SQL Server weenie hacking on me about saying Oracle on Windows is viable). If dbasupport were that advanced in what is written, I guess it would be in competition with ask-tom.

    I reference Oracle documentation at times and always try to add a twist or one or more insights as to what is taking place, plus point out where the procedures or information are wrong/incorrect. You have to admit there are some topics/features in Oracle where you've looked at the documentation, started reading, felt your eyes glaze over and sensed that your life-force was being sucked away. How would you go about making that material easier to digest or learn?

    I write three articles each month, and have around 35 total so far. It is a challenge at times to find something interesting to write about. Feel free to contact the editor, Linda Cole, at lcole@jupitermedia.com and offer your writing services. Step up to the plate and make this a better place. Obviously, you still have every right to criticize what is being posted. You can leave feedback, send PM's (most writers are members here), and sound off here. I believe your comment is the first one of its nature I've seen here in over two years. Doesn't mean you're right or wrong about what you said, but maybe no one else has taken the time to offer feedback like this. What would you like to read about, and what level do you want it at? Please offer some suggestions for topics.

    Thanks for reading them in first place.
    Last edited by stecal; 09-12-2004 at 06:11 PM.

  4. #4
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    Re: Re: Featured articles - criteria?

    Originally posted by stecal
    Please be specific as to which ones you think are mundane or culled directly from documentation or white papers.
    I'm not interested in naming specific articles and getting into an argument with the authors.

    Take a look at some of the articles and it should be fairly apparent. It was to me atleast.

    PS : Needn't get worked up, I wasn't referring to your recent posts .

  5. #5
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    Re: Featured articles - criteria?

    Originally posted by Axr2
    [url]What's the criteria to post articles here? If there are any that is..

    Can anyone post musings on any random topic here?
    Steve, since you appear to write articles here, may be you could answer the above?

  6. #6
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    Going to wait a little bit so the posts don't overlap - I was editing a previous post and you had responded to the short version.

  7. #7
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    Thanks for the detailed response.

    Articles here are $100 for 1000 words +/-. Oracle Magazine pays $1250 for articles, and they are a bit longer. Some of them are quite mundane. You want nuts and bolts down and dirty technical articles, then offer to make it worth someone's time.
    Many of us spend time here answering questions for nothing in turn. Obviously it isn't the $$ that motivates us. Generally speaking $100 for 1000 words seems pretty decent actually. May be I will compose something someday. The more verbose the better..Hanky stands to make boat loads then.

    > Step up to the plate and make this a better place. Obviously, you still have every right to criticize what is being posted.

    The forum is meant to critique and provide feedback. And that's precisely what I'm doing. It is sad enough that we see multiple articles on 101 stuff like spfile concepts and LMTs over and over again, but a spiel on "job hunting/ contract negotiation/ relationships/ time management" on a forum that deals with Oracle issues, is really pushing it. (Why does the word DBA even appear in the title?!) There has got to be some editorial board here. I mean I could write a 5 page article on how to install Oracle on different platforms..but do you think anyone wants to read it? It is all out there waiting to be read. I would be insulting people's intelligence if I churned out something of that nature, don't you think?

    As for what I would like to see - Neat scripts (not routine block.sql, next_extent.sql stuff!), some challenging stuff that you did at work, some things that you figured out the hard way for yourself - would be nice. I would prefer not to see reworded/rehashed documentation. It's okay if someone explains somewhat complex logminer concepts in layman's terms..but spfile/LMTs?! Come on.

    Again, I don't mean to offend anyone here. I'm just offering my suggestions on how to make this a more useful place.

  8. #8
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    Hmmm, I figure Dave will make boatloads. I always thought I spoke more in headlines as opposed to details.

    "Shoot the developers, kill the liberals"

    You know, that sort of thing.

    K.I.S.S.
    I remember when this place was cool.

  9. #9
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    Thank you for your note. I'm sorry you didn't like the article, and can certainly understand where not all articles will please all readers. This particular article, however, has been extremely popular in the few days since it was originally published.

    To answer your question, no, not just anyone can post articles here. Our authors are professionals; our articles are looked at by a technical review board prior to publication. I will second stecal's invitation. If you have topics you would like to suggest, please feel free to post them here, or contact me directly (lcole@jupitermedia.com).

    If you would like to write for DBASupport and DatabaseJournal, please contact me privately with your credentials and a proposal.

    As a side note, moderators are not paid to moderate; they do so because they enjoy helping others.

    I see that while I have typed this, you have posted again. Thanks for the suggestions, I will forward them on to the authors to make sure they see them.
    ____________________
    Thanks,
    Linda

    http://dbasupport.com/
    http://databasejournal.com/



  10. #10
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    Linda, thanks for the response.

    I still don't understand the content criteria to post here. I could write a long winded article on how to deal with painful co-workers and bosses at work. But does it belong in a technical forum? I would think not.

    This particular article, however, has been extremely popular in the few days since it was originally published.
    Hey, I did my bit to popularize it.

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