I think the problem is the first quote should really say "data pages". I do not think the internal format of the log uses "pages" but rather places the data, copy of pages, into log records. The line you reference about not having to use the data page format hints that the original format is not maintained hence the logs do not contain pages. Yet, you can find the term used in the manuals.

The real problem is terminology. Page and block are often used as synonyms Really, a page should refer to the size of the IO used in OS page sets and the term should not be used to describe the database logical structure size or IO block size. But the technical writers have a bad habit of intermixing terms and leaving out qualifying adjectives that would be very beneficial to us mere users of the software.

The Oracle manuals are not much different though the database itself does offer a log more visibility into its internal structures

We live and learn (hopefully).

-- Mark D Powell --