"Get a permanent job instead of contract gigs and first time one hits a work problem, try to solve it instead of running away to another gig." This doesn't sound like Oracle DBA future more like somebody's bitter past. For me, I became a DBA because I like working with data in its' raw form, (ie I don't like building pretty apps), and I also like solving problems. I think there will always be a job in getting people their data, whether that is a DBA or not, I don't know. -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l