[NTLUG:Discuss] MYSql vs. postgresql
Terry Hancock
hancock at anansispaceworks.com
Mon Feb 17 19:03:22 CST 2003
On Monday 17 February 2003 11:35 am, Wayne Dahl wrote:
> Hi guys. My wife and I are considering starting a business and will
> need a database. Any recommendations in the Linux realm? What are the
> pros and cons of both MYSql and postgresql? How hard are they to
> migrate to a different machine when hardware needs upgrading? What
> about front end clients for each? Since both are included in my distro
> (RH8.0), I would like your input before we begin setting things up.
I use MySQL as a flat data storage system in combination with a Zope front
end. It hasn't really seen serious action yet, but I have not seen any
slowdowns or indications of any kind that it will give us trouble. I'm in
the process of greatly expanding our use of it. It is very well documented,
and I have some trust in the performance tests and very wide use of the
program.
OTOH, I have not given PostgreSQL much of a chance. To be frank, I started
reading the documentation I had which literally starts with a history of the
universe, apparently trying to place PostgreSQL at the pinnacle of creation,
followed by a FUD attack on MySQL and a complaint about "lost effort" due to
competition rather than cooperation. Well, by the time it actually got down
to brass tacks, I was pretty put off and shelved it. ;-D
I wonder if this HOWTO is still where most people start on PostgreSQL.
Anyway, I have heard from PostgreSQL partisans that it supports a far more
complete set of SQL syntax. However, most of the things that have
traditionally been used to assert PostgreSQL's superiority (like
transactions), have now been implemented in MySQL, so the completeness gap is
slowly closing. On the other hand, I have not heard any claims that
PostgreSQL is closing the performance gap on MySQL. The remaining syntax
additions you get with PostgreSQL are apparently pretty esoteric, as I have
not heard any justifications of their application that made any sense to me.
This may partly be a product of my approach to the database system, which is
primarily as a repository, and not something that should contain too much
logic. I prefer to keep the logic in a Turing complete language (I use
Python) that I have much more understanding of, and which is essentially
capable of any extensions I need to add to it. I don't mean to assert that
this is the only viable approach, but it's what works for me.
Anyway, to make a long story short, after considering the arguments, and my
own experience with MySQL, I have decided not to switch over to PostgreSQL
despite increasing database requirements in my business projects. It looks
to me like MySQL will keep doing the job I need.
Of course, given different requirements, emphasis, and experience, YMMV. I
can't assert that PostgreSQL wouldn't do just as well, only that MySQL seems
completely adequate.
Cheers,
Terry
--
Terry Hancock ( hancock at anansispaceworks.com )
Anansi Spaceworks http://www.anansispaceworks.com
"Some things are too important to be taken seriously"
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