Why is USE_STORED_OUTLINES not an initialization parameter?

We have begun exploring the use of outlines, and one of the things I
stumbled upon was that you have set "use_stored_outlines". As we discuss
this feature and talk about ramifications, we have discovered that there
is a wee bit of overhead in a shop with many databases. Each time we
clone or bounce a database, we would have to turn outlines back on. Of
course, there is the option of creating a database trigger that does
this automagically, but it does make me wonder why it is not an init
parameter. I assume there is a good reason that Oracle decided on this.
Anyone happen to know the details?

PS - I do realize that this parameter can also have other values besides
TRUE and FALSE. I am hoping to focus this question on the boolean
values, however. Unless the non-boolean values are part of the decision
making process.

charles schultz
oracle dba
aits - adsd
university of illinois

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