Maybe off-topic: Why MySQL so popular? (or why PostgreSQL so un-popular?)

I know this is not a forum about advocacy, but I
thought I'd ask here, as I'm sure you'll be able
to ellaborate on the subject.

After being forced to use MySQL for a while, I'm
extremely irritated, and intrigued with the fact
that being such a crap as it is, MySQL has become
*the* standard database for Linux/Unix based web
servers.

For heaven's sake, PostgreSQL ships with RedHat
(which I think is the most widely used Linux
distribution for web hosters), and MySQL does
not (well, now it does ship with RH 7.1, but
I think it didn't before); PG is much more
solid, it is much more ANSI-SQL compliant --
MySQL does not support transactions, does not
feature referential integrity -- and they have
the face to mention the lack of R.I. as a good
thing!!! , MySQL does not support views, sub-
queries... I get the feeling that MySQL is
just a thin layer on top of C's FILE * or
C++'s file streams!!!

If you tell me: nobody is forcing you to use
MySQL -- the Linux and Open Source world is
about choice.... Wrong! (in this case). I
haven't been able to find a web hoster (decent
or not) that offers PostgreSQL among their
services (now, if we add the extra restriction
of *decent* web hosters, go figure... Though
you could say that the very fact that they
offer PG would make them decent web hosters? :-)).

I even tried the search engine at www.webhosters.com,
and they don't even have a checkbox for PostgreSQL
in the search criteria!!!

I'm so frustrated!! Could somebody tell me at
least a reason for which MySQL could have become
so popular? Maybe knowing that there is a
concrete reason will help me alleviate this
deep feeling of irritation... :-(

Of course, alternate solutions are also acceptable
(i.e., pointers to web hosters that offer PgSQL
along with a good package and good quality of
services? :-))

Cheers,

Carlos
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