SPAM-LOW: Re:Semi-OT: Database for "average" users

[Andrew Hammond]

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Ilya Palagin wrote:
>> Here here!!! I totally agree. MySQL is the classic example of "its gonna
>> be great someday". And when that day comes cool! For now I do use it but
>> only for simple things. Can't wait until it finally has "views" which
>> will
>> be the coming version and that will finally make it somewhat useful! Sure
> 
> You don't need to wait, it's already great - tons of web applications, for
> example, come with MySQL in mind :-)

Tons of applications come with Windows in mind. That doesn't make it great.

Tacking on more features when they still haven't solved the fundamental
problems of data integrity is somewhere between comedic and tragic.
Until MySQL can conform to standard handling of the basics (NULLs for
example, http://sql-info.de/mysql/gotchas.html has a semi-canonical
list), it will remain a toy. Applications based on it are almost
impossible to port away from it because it fails to conform to SQL in
numerous critical areas. Advocating it for a platform is an excellent
way to demonstrate ignorance of everything related to the subject of
databases. Choosing it for a platform amounts to demonstrable incompetence.

Furthermore, MySQL also has numerous ongoing licensing issues. It is NOT
free outside of strictly non-commercial environments. MySQL AB's
definition of "distribute" doesn't appear to be inline with pretty much
everyone else's on the planet, and lawyer time is even more not free. I
am continually amazed by the outright stupidity of people who choose
MySQL over Postgres when Postgres is both completely unencumbered (ie.
BSD license) and obviously technically superior.

And don't even get me started about MySQL's locking issues.

- --
Andrew Hammond    416-673-4138    ahammond-swQf4SbcV9C7WVzo/KQ3Mw at public.gmane.org
Database Administrator, Afilias Canada Corp.
CB83 2838 4B67 D40F D086 3568 81FC E7E5 27AF 4A9A
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