11/7/2000 -- Yesterday Oracle announced the Oracle Learning Network (OLN), a subscription-based education portal aimed at Oracle DBAs, application implementors and developers.

For $1,195 per year, users can sign up for a "professional"-level subscription, which offers unlimited access to instructor-led "eClasses," self-paced study materials, streaming audio seminars with slides and Oracle certification preparation materials.

According to Oracle, its eClasses, which are not presented live but pre-recorded by Oracle University instructors, consist of:

• Short tutorials with slides in streaming audio/video.
• Hands-on demonstrations in streaming audio format.
• Quick quizzes to test progress.
• Directions for completing hands on exercises.

The professional-level subscription is aimed at IT professionals with advanced Oracle skills; other subscription levels are expected to be announced at a later date. Free "trial" subscriptions, which offer limited access to OLN, are available.

For more information on Oracle Learning Network, visit http://oracle.com/education/oln/. -B.N.

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