Bob Miner
Encyclopedia
Robert Nimrod "Bob" Miner (December 23, 1941 – November 11, 1994) was a co-founder of Oracle Corporation
and architect of Oracle's relational database management system.
From 1977 until 1992, Bob Miner led product design and development for the Oracle relational database management system. In Dec., 1992, he left that role and spun off a small, advanced technology group within Oracle. He was an Oracle board member until Oct., 1993.
to an Assyria
n family. Both parents came from Ada, a village in the northwest of Iran
. Bob Miner graduated in 1963 with a degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
.
at Ampex
, where he was Larry's supervisor. Bob Miner left Ampex soon thereafter to found a company called Software Development Laboratories with Ed Oates
and Bruce Scott, with Larry Ellison joining the company several months later. It was at this time that Ed Oates introduced Miner and Ellison to a paper by E. F. Codd on the relational model
for database management. IBM was slow to see the commercial value of Codd's relational database management system
(RDBMS), allowing Miner and Ellison to beat them to the market.
In the start-up days of Oracle Bob Miner was the lead engineer, programming the majority of Oracle Version 3 by himself. As head of engineering Bob Miner's management style was in stark contrast to Larry Ellison, who cultivated Oracle's hard-driving sales culture. Although he expected his engineers to produce, he did not agree with the demands laid upon them by Ellison. He thought it was wrong for people to work extremely late hours and that they should have the chance to see their families. According to Ellison, Miner was "loyal to the people before the company."
caused by exposure to asbestos
. He died on Friday, 11 November 1994 at the age of 52, surrounded by family. He is survived by his wife, Mary, and their three children.
Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
and architect of Oracle's relational database management system.
From 1977 until 1992, Bob Miner led product design and development for the Oracle relational database management system. In Dec., 1992, he left that role and spun off a small, advanced technology group within Oracle. He was an Oracle board member until Oct., 1993.
Early life
Bob Miner was born in Cicero, IllinoisCicero, Illinois
Cicero is an incorporated town in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 83,891 at the 2010 census. Cicero is named for the town of Cicero, New York, which in turn was named for Marcus Tullius Cicero, the Roman statesman and orator....
to an Assyria
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
n family. Both parents came from Ada, a village in the northwest of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. Bob Miner graduated in 1963 with a degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
.
Career
In 1977 Bob Miner met Larry EllisonLarry Ellison
Lawrence Joseph "Larry" Ellison is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Oracle Corporation, one of the world's leading enterprise software companies. As of 2011, he is the third wealthiest American citizen, with an estimated worth of $33 billion.- Early life :Larry Ellison was born in the...
at Ampex
Ampex
Ampex is an American electronics company founded in 1944 by Alexander M. Poniatoff. The name AMPEX is an acronym, created by its founder, which stands for Alexander M. Poniatoff Excellence...
, where he was Larry's supervisor. Bob Miner left Ampex soon thereafter to found a company called Software Development Laboratories with Ed Oates
Ed Oates
Edward A. "Ed" Oates co-founded Software Development Labs in August 1977 with Larry Ellison, and Bob Miner. Software Development Labs later became Oracle Corporation....
and Bruce Scott, with Larry Ellison joining the company several months later. It was at this time that Ed Oates introduced Miner and Ellison to a paper by E. F. Codd on the relational model
Relational model
The relational model for database management is a database model based on first-order predicate logic, first formulated and proposed in 1969 by Edgar F...
for database management. IBM was slow to see the commercial value of Codd's relational database management system
Relational database management system
A relational database management system is a database management system that is based on the relational model as introduced by E. F. Codd. Most popular databases currently in use are based on the relational database model....
(RDBMS), allowing Miner and Ellison to beat them to the market.
In the start-up days of Oracle Bob Miner was the lead engineer, programming the majority of Oracle Version 3 by himself. As head of engineering Bob Miner's management style was in stark contrast to Larry Ellison, who cultivated Oracle's hard-driving sales culture. Although he expected his engineers to produce, he did not agree with the demands laid upon them by Ellison. He thought it was wrong for people to work extremely late hours and that they should have the chance to see their families. According to Ellison, Miner was "loyal to the people before the company."
Illness and Death
Bob Miner was diagnosed in 1993 with pleural mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancerLung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
caused by exposure to asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
. He died on Friday, 11 November 1994 at the age of 52, surrounded by family. He is survived by his wife, Mary, and their three children.
See also
- Oracle CorporationOracle CorporationOracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
- Larry EllisonLarry EllisonLawrence Joseph "Larry" Ellison is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Oracle Corporation, one of the world's leading enterprise software companies. As of 2011, he is the third wealthiest American citizen, with an estimated worth of $33 billion.- Early life :Larry Ellison was born in the...
- Ed OatesEd OatesEdward A. "Ed" Oates co-founded Software Development Labs in August 1977 with Larry Ellison, and Bob Miner. Software Development Labs later became Oracle Corporation....
- E.F. Codd
- Relational database management systemRelational database management systemA relational database management system is a database management system that is based on the relational model as introduced by E. F. Codd. Most popular databases currently in use are based on the relational database model....
Further reading
- Symonds, Matthew, 2003. Softwar: An Intimate Portrait of Larry Ellison and Oracle. Simon & Schuster. With commentary by Ellison.
- The Difference Between God and Larry Ellison: Inside Oracle Corporation and Symonds (2003).
- Larry Ellison: Database Genius of Oracle. Craig Peters
- Everyone Else Must Fail. Karen Southwick
- The Oracle of Oracle. Florence M. Stone
- Larry Ellison, Sheer Nerve. Daniel Ehrenhaft.