I am a ColdFusion programmer. Yes, programmer. I write programs in ColdFusion. Not a "web developer" - while that is part of my job duties - but I am a programmer first. ColdFusion is my platform of choice. Adobe is the purveyor of ColdFusion, so I have a keen interest in the company, the tools and their people. I read today that Adobe is about to lay off 600 employees. I have no idea the mix of domestic to overseas. It's not important. What is important is that while the experts say that IT, as a whole, is not expected to be affected too much by the current economic down turn, it's obvious that many are being affected. My heart goes out to those employees who, right at holiday time, have been given the news. And I know that it can happen to the least expecting of us. I don't "expect" to have my job endangered, but perhaps those 600 Adobe employees thought the same. The best way to protect your job is to do a good job. Be productive and show them that you are valuable - that nobody can do what you do! Hang tough folks - it's liable to get rougher before it smooths out!

I gave a presentation at this year's Webmaniacs conference hosted by Fig Leaf Software in Washington, D.C back in May. The presentation was Oracle Tricks and Techniques. I took the approach of not the technical nitty gritty since, well, I don't know most of the technical nitty gritty. I rather took the approach of things a ColdFusion programmer needs to know to be better at utilizing Oracle for our applicaitons. I include some things that are just good ole' common sence as well as a few lesser known tidbits. If you get some good out of it, let me know. It must not have been too bad, as Charlie Arehart asked me to give my presentation to his online Meetup ColdFusion User Group. I have not taken him up on that yet, but I fully intend to.

Oracle Tricks and Techniques