What is a dinosaur? It is someone who is stuck in their ways and too comfortable where they are to move (change things). You can spot a dinosaur if the answers to the following questions are positive.
Do they only stay in their office, cubicle, or work area and rarely show up to meetings with other human beings?
Are their questions and answers short, curt, and rarely reveal what really happened when things went awry?
Do people wonder what they do all day?
Do they go to conferences without any business cards to pass around?
Do they just linger on technical e-mails, discussion lists, or forums?
Now that you know how to spot a dinosaur, the reasons for avoiding them may not be obvious. It is the sign of an insecure, cloistered individual who refuses to change because of fear of the unknown. Realize that there is no real way to know everything about Oracle and that you will need to be open and willing to change in order to keep ahead of the steep learning curve ahead of you.