The meaning of Oracle's version number

The meaning of Oracle's version number

Oracle Database的大版本号由两部分组成： 数字+字母，数字自然是大版本号， 字母则是代表了这个版本的“中心思想”

8i（1998），9i（2001）：那时候正好互联网兴起，i就代表internet（网络）
10g（2003），11g（2007）：现在主推分布式计算，g就代表grid（网格）



另外，还有个11i，这容易引起混淆，其实11i是指Oracle EBS（E-Business Suite电子商务套件）的版本号，其实就是Oracle ERP。（这好像跟Oracle Database没什么必然联系，我也不知道这个i代表什么）

这也说明Oracle不等于Oracle Database。平常我们说“Oracle”，一般都是指Oracle Database，当然这是它最著名的产品；不过，其实Oracle早就已经不是一家数据库厂商了，而是航母级厂商，东收西购，啥都有了。

我见过这样的问题：“ 从版本命名来看8i-9i-10g-11i，是不是意味着grid只是昙花一现？”显然这就是混淆了Oracle Database和Oracle ERP。



----以下是一些参考----
In 1998, Oracle announced Oracle8i, which is sometimes referred to as Version 8.1 of the Oracle8 database. The i was added to denote added functionality supporting Internet deployment in the new version. Oracle9i followed, with Application Server available in 2000 and Database Server in 2001.

Oracle Database 10g was introduced in 2003; the g denotes Oracle's focus on emerging grid deployment models.

Oracle 11i refers to the Oracle ERP Application Suite (often called Oracle E-Business Suite) and really has nothing to do with the database. The latest release (12) will be referred to as 12i. The confusing part is that Oracle used to call its database "i" for "internet" in releases 8 and 9, but now calls the database "g" for "grid". So, to summarize, Oracle 11i refers to the apps and Oracle 11g refers to the database