Acknowledgments

from Bert Scalzo

I'd like to thank Jim McDaniel and his entire TOAD development team for permitting me to work with them. Jim's love for his product is contagious. You can't help but become a rabid fanatic because it's such fun to work with these guys. Ideas go from whiteboard to design spec to code to QA in a matter of days or weeks. There are no lengthy design docs and long, drawn-out design meetings ”just ideas translated into product as quickly as is humanly possible. That's how Jim and the team work. It's such fun that many times we work right through evenings and weekends (even NFL Sundays) because we get so excited by the whole TOAD development process. I've never before seen anything like this.

I'd also like to thank the TOAD user community. As Jim says, the users own and direct TOAD. It's not a bunch of "ivory tower" architects building their solution, but rather a grass-roots movement that has evolved into the premier PL/SQL development and DBA tool. From the Yahoo TOAD bulletin boards to the TOAD User Group meetings held across the country, it's been great fun working with the TOAD users. Their opinions and enthusiasm have helped to make the product what it is.

Finally I'd like to thank Dan Hotka for helping out with this book. Dan not only wrote a lot of the book, but also and more importantly opened the door for this book idea with the publisher. If it had not been for Dan, this book might have never gotten to first base.

from Dan Hotka

I have now been writing about Oracle- related topics for over seven years . What started out as something to help utilize my time while on United Airlines has turned into a rather substantial second job. I again want to thank those who have not only contributed to my work in this book but have made a positive difference in my career and life.

A special thanks goes out to my wife of 24 years, Gail Hackett, and my family. Her patience, love, and understanding have allowed me to take on opportunities such as writing and the travel that comes with my work. The family suffers the most with my line of work. I want to thank Elizabeth (Libby), Emily, and Thomas, my children, for giving me the foundation that continues to fuel my success.

A big "thank you very much!" goes to Bert Scalzo for inviting me along on this book.

I want to make sure to thank the people who help make my writing a success. Tim Gorman has to be the most Oracle-knowledgeable person I know. His advice and wisdom have definitely enhanced most every Oracle project I have undertaken. Other technical advice has been gleaned from (not in any particular order): Bradley Brown, Gary Dodge, Daniel Fink, Dave Oldroyd, Guy Harrison, Rich Niemiec, Swamy Kanathur, Robert Nightengale, Marlene Theriault, Paul Masterson, Jonathan Lewis, and D. Scott Wheeler. Thank you for your technical assistance on this project and through the years.

I want to thank those managers who have helped mold my career into the success that I continue to enjoy today: Karl Lenk (Sperry-Rand, Inc.), Gary Dodge (Oracle Corp.), and Deb Jenson (Platinum Technology, Inc. and Quest Software, Inc.).

Thanks to those editors who trusted me through the years to produce quality manuscript: Todd Green, Michelle Newcomb, Angela Koslowski, Heidi Frost, Farion Grove, and Rosemarie Graham, as well as their staffs.

Thank you to all the people listed below, who have made a positive difference in my life and career: Tom Villhauer, Adrian Tate, Alice Meyer, Bert Scalzo, Bert Spencer, Bob Emley, Bob Kenward, Bradley Brown, Brian Hengen, Bill and Debbie Wallace, Bonnie Vermillion, Buff Emslie, Cam White, Carol Thompson, Carolyn Smith, Cathy (CW) Fountain, Cathy (CL) Langhurst, Chauncey Kupferschmidt, Cheryl McCarthy, Chet and Kathy Gniadek, Cindy Swartz, Colette Simpson, Colin Blignault, Conny Vandeweyer, Craig Mullins, Cristina Nunes, Dan Wulfman, Dave Brainard, David Darnell, David Letsch, David Metcalf, David Pearson, David Wagner, Dawn Simmons, Deb Goodnow, Debra M. Smith, Dee Pollock, Derek Ashmore, Don Bishop, Donald Hotka, Don Kerker, Don Schroeder, Dorothy Campbell, Doug Evers, Doug Garn, Doug Tracy, Dwight Miller, Ed Grinbukh, Elsie Bishop, Floyd Sturgeon, Francesca Castiglione, Gaja Vaidyanatha, Garrett Cook, Gayln Underwood, Geri McGinnis, Gloria Brenneman, Greg Goodnow, Greg Slaymaker, Greg Spence, Haydn Pinnell, Heath Race, Heidi Yocki, Huub Commandeur, Jacqueline Fry, Jane Hambright, Janet Jones, Janice Ford, Jason Dean, Jay Johnson, Jeff Sheppard, Jerry Fox, Jerry Greenlee, Jerry Matza, Jerry Meyers, Jerry Wegner, Jim Cox, Jim "Toadman" McDaniel, Jim and Mary Sanders, Joe Gniadek, Joe Smith, John Beresniewicz, John Koszarek, John Theis, Jon Styre, Julian Good, Julie Ferry, Julie Nelson, Karen Wicker, Karin Jung, Kat Yarbrough, Kate Freeman, Kathie Danielson, Kathleen Morehouse, Kathy Metcalf, Kelsey Thompson, Ken Jacobs, Kevin McGinnis, Kevin Schell, Larry and Joan Birk, Larry Kleinmeyer, Laurie Nelson, Leyria Walters, Linda Calibro, Linda Litton, Linda McMahon, Lisa Ciccarelli, Lora Grossenbacker, Lora Powers, Lu Johnson, Lynette Kleinmeyer, Mariam Giesler, Marjorie Olsen, Marita Welch, Mark and Ann Sierzant, Mark Harry, Martin N. Greenfield, Martin Rapetti, Marv Troutman, Mary Bricker, Mary Kenyon, Mary Villhauer, Melvin Morehouse, Michel Clerin, Michelle Campbell, Michelle Pregler, Mike Cannon, Mike Carroll, Mike Coffman, Mike Curtis, Mike Fisher, Mike Hotz, Mike Metcalf, Mike Nelson, Mike Sanchez, Mike Swing, Nancy Taslitz, Nicole Tokarski, Niel Bauman, Ofelia Albrecht, Paul Sanderson, Pat McMahon, Patricia Hemphill, Patrick and Misty Gniadek, Patrick McGrath, Penny Loupakos, Rachel Carmichael, Ramon Graham, Ramsina Lazari, Randy Spiese, Richard Neimiec, Richard Scholtz, Rick Born, Rick Magnuson, Rita Liddel, Robert Hotz, Robert Nightingale, Robert Thompson, Robyn Cincinnati, Rowland Schweigl, Ron Danielson, Ron Hahn, Ron Innis, Ron Mattia, Ron Miles, Ron Smith, Ross Walters, Rudy Neimiec, Russ Greene, Sandra Kay, Sarah Hackett, Scott Bickel, Scott Kane, Sean Kennedy, Sean McGrath, Sharon Reynolds, Sheri Ballard, Shona Freese, Simon Pearce, Simone Abawat, Steve Albrecht, Steve Black, Steve Blair, Steve Healy, Steve Jaschen, Steve Renneer, Susan Ferguson, Svet Bricker, TA Meyer, Tam Nguyen, Ted Cohen, Tom Bickel, Tom Parkinson, Tony Foley, Troy Amyett, Valda-Jean Robison, Vinny Smith, Walt Bricker, Wass Pogerelov, and Wayne Smith.

And finally, thank you very much to my parents, Philip and Dorothy Hotka; my in-laws, Dean and Marian Hackett; my siblings, Mike Hotka and Janice Hotka; and to my grandmothers, Mamie and Gladys, who will always have a special place in my heart.