command line blues

[anotheranon]

Getting deeper into my class work. We're doing all lab assignments in an Oracle environment accessed through telnet (whoo! That takes me back) through a command line interface (Sun?) that reminds me of the cumbersome Unix interface of my first email account back in ~1992-3.

For non-computer geeks, that translates to: no nice point-and click visual interfaces. It's all text, typed in one command after another with non-intuitive editing features. Fun, fun....

I remember how fscking hard it was to learn all the commands the first go around, especially when explained to me by computer professionals who took so much for granted re: familiarity with syntax and ability to navigate a system with no physical layout ("Go to your inbox" was my favorite. What did they mean, "GO"? I can't see anywhere TO go!) Eventually I did learn enough to read email and telnet (boy, did I ever telnet) but it was an uphill struggle.

I hope my questions don't get me tagged as a computer neophyte - I'm not, but I don't have the 20+ years of history in IT that some of my classmates have; I've not been alive long enough :P

Think I'll polish my brain a little. To rebuild my scuffed ego, understand. Borrowed from jlsjlsjls and certainly many others:

Your IQ Is 110

Your Logical Intelligence is Average Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius Your Mathematical Intelligence is Above Average Your General Knowledge is Exceptional

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

Comments

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

I don't have the 20+ years of history in IT that some of my classmates have

Just means you don't have as much to UNlearn ... you'll end up making the rest of 'em jealous of that. ***grin***

EGAD ... telnet!!!!! Scarily enough, there's still a few libraries out there, including one of our clients (am SO glad S. at the next desk does THEIR cataloguing instead of me), that still only have telnet access to their catalogues. :p

***wanders off, giving thanks for no longer dealing with telnet, gopher, lynx or All-in-one email***

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

I remember when my mom's library system was still telnet/command line - what a pill! I'm amazed some libraries are still using it!

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

It's all down to budgets rather than choice ... one's library software has to be upgraded to a certain point before the Z39.50 protocol kicks in and allows all that nice Internet stuff and this particular library isn't exactly rich, so they may have "paused" their software upgrades several versions ago (that's not uncommon in the library universe). For all I know, that client may be the last library in Canada to have telnet access ... it's been a LONG time since I ran into it myself.

Ick!

[shemhazai.livejournal.com]

Oracle command line sux.

There are tools out there, like the oracle enterprise application manager, TOAD and others, which are much better to work with. I guess they're starting you off waxing cars, though...

Re: Ick!

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

That's what I figure - start you out in the harshest environment and then when you DO get the swank tools it's all that much easier.

I hope!

[tommdroid.livejournal.com]

Ah! The good old awful Telnet, that gives a poor droid flashbacks for sure!