MySQL Moves to Prime Time

MagLev writes "MySQL, especially version 5.0, is popping up on the radar screens of database gurus who built their reputations and book sales using other SQL databases. Ken North, who did those ODBC performance benchmarks for Oracle, Sybase, and DB2, wrote a recent article about MySQL 5.0. The article profiles mission critical database software and discusses how well MySQL 5.0 fits the profile. It gives good marks to MySQL, except for Java and XML integration."

Comments

New features

[Spy der Mann]

(for the lazy)

        * capacity for very large databases
        * stored procedures
        * triggers
        * named-updateable views
        * server-side cursors
        * type enhancements
        * standards-compliant metadata (INFORMATION_SCHEMA)
        * XA-style distributed transactions
        * hot backups.

Re:New features

[Michalson]

Or more specifically ISO SQL-92, or any other SQL standard. Everyone else seems to be smart enough to be able to implement a well documented industry wide standard as their base. MySQL didn't even start supporting UNION until version 4.

Re:MySQL != SQL

[matt4077]

If MySQL supported only a subset of the SQL Standard (big IF since it does have stuff like nested queries, transactions, triggers etc now), thats the opposite of lock-in. Obviously, there is no harm in using only a subset of SQL and then moving to a different RDBMS. It's exactly the Oracles and Microsofts with their embrace & extend policy that makes it difficult to switch: Oracle has _every_ (well, most - not the excellent fulltext search) feature of MySQL, so there is no problem to switch.

Re:I can think of a pretty big plus in the column.

[ProfaneBaby]

Postgres is Free, MySQL is tied to a silly dual license (viral GPL and commercial), neither of which is as Free as the 3-clause BSD.

Re:Gosh

[consumer]

Fails to live up to ACID? MySQL has had ACID transactions for years now. If you didn't know this, you have no place commenting on MySQL at all. It has the same sort of MVCC transaction and locking support that PostgreSQL does, and has since version 3.23.

not Postgres

[cpeterso]

Actually, "Postgres" is was a precursor to "PostgreSQL". The database started as a university research project called Ingress. A follow-on version was called Postgres (i.e., Post-Ingress). SQL support was added later; thus PostgreSQL (Postgres + SQL).

Re:Liked it, but don't use it anymore

[Just Some Guy]

SQLite has no advertising clause. postgresql does.

I call your bluff. Here's the entire, unedited PostgreSQL license (source their website):

PostgreSQL Database Management System (formerly known as Postgres, then as Postgres95)

Portions Copyright (c) 1996-2005, The PostgreSQL Global Development Group

Portions Copyright (c) 1994, The Regents of the University of California

Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its documentation for any purpose, without fee, and without a written agreement is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice and this paragraph and the following two paragraphs appear in all copies.

IN NO EVENT SHALL THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BE LIABLE TO ANY PARTY FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE AND ITS DOCUMENTATION, EVEN IF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE SOFTWARE PROVIDED HEREUNDER IS ON AN "AS IS" BASIS, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA HAS NO OBLIGATIONS TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE, SUPPORT, UPDATES, ENHANCEMENTS, OR MODIFICATIONS.

Where's this advertising clause you speak of? Or did you hear "BSD license" and drag out a decade-old complaint that's long since been addressed? That's as bad as people complaining that MySQL doesn't support transactions, except that's true under certain circumstances whereas your criticism is completely unfounded.