Re: PostgreSQL versus MySQL for GPS Data

On Mar 17, 2009, at 4:47 AM, Craig Ringer wrote:

>> The question is: Which DBMS do you think is the best for this kind of
>> application? PostgreSQL or MySQL?
>
> As you can imagine, PostgreSQL.
>
> My main reasons are that in a proper transactional environment (ie
> you're not using scary MyISAM tables) Pg is *much* better about
> handling
> concurrent load, particularly concurrent activity by readers and
> writers.

Actually, following this comment it should be noted that if you were
to choose MySQL you'd pretty much be making a decision to *not* be
using transactions at all. The reason for this is that while InnoDB
does support MySQL's geometry data types it does *not* support indexes
on geometry columns, only MyISAM does which does not support
transactions. Call me old fashioned if you like, but I like my data
to have integrity ;)

Erik Jones, Database Administrator
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