Re: OFFTOPIC: PostgreSQL vs MySQL

> Thanks for being considerate, thourough, and honest about your opinions.
> Particulary that you didn't simple depart in a huff.

Why would I depart in a huff? I was just trying to make a few objective
observations.

I really have no biases; I like what I've seen in MySQL, and I like alot of
the more Oracle-like
features in Postgres.

> > 4) we looked at MySQL first (we needed replication, and eRServer had not
> > been open-sourced when we started looking)
>
> I can't do anything about that, now can I?

My point was that it's since been open-sourced; it just means I've looked
longer at
MySQL, as it had replication when we started looking.

> Have you checked these pages? They've been posted on this list numerous
> times:
> http://techdocs.postgresql.org
> http://www.varlena.com/varlena/GeneralBits/Tidbits/perf.html
> http://www.varlena.com/varlena/GeneralBits/Tidbits/annotated_conf_e.html

Those are much more instructive; I'm curious - why aren't then in the
administrator's
section of the docs?

> We've been working on this on the advocacy list .... that is, giving an
> accurate listing of PostgreSQL features not posessed by MySQL (same for
> Oracle and DB2 as well, MySQL is just easier to start becuase we don't
have
> to worry about being sued). I'd appreciate it if you'd take an interest
in
> that document and revise anything which is innaccurate or perjorative.

I might be able to provide some insight, but I've only been working with
MySQL for a month
or so (Oracle for about 8 years).

> > "PostgreSQL supports constraints. MySQL doesn't; programmers need to
> > take care of that from the client side"
> > Again, InnoDB supports constraints.
>
> Really? This is news. We did some tests on constraints on InnoDB, and
found
> that while they parsed, they were not actually enforced. Was our test
in
> error?

You may have turned them off to load data? I've run into constraints when my
data-load script missed some rows in address_type. When it went to do the
address_list table, all rows that had the missing address_type failed, as
they
should. I saw no weakness in the constraints.

> > Maybe the Postgres community needs an anti-FUD individual or two; people
> > that know both databases, and can provide the proper information for
> > answering questions like this. A section in the docs would help as well.
> > Yes, I know many of the people advocating Postgres do not want to
> > compare themselves to MySQL (but rather to Oracle, Sybase, DB2, etc) ,
> > but the volume of responses on a thread like this indicates that the
> > comparison is going to happen regardless. Better to nip it in the bud
> > quickly than let it go on over 3-4 days.
>
> Would you care to volunteer? We'd be glad to have you.

Maybe once all this database testing is done; it's extra work on top of an
already
heavy load (add a new baby, and free time goes right down the toilet).

I need to figure out my performance issues with Postgres, finish my
benchmark
suite, test a bunch of databases, argue with the CTO, and then start
migrating.

I'll be sure to post my results to the pgsql-performance(at)postgresql(dot)org
along with
the tests.

David.