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MySQL Beats Commercial Databases in Labs Test
An anonymous reader writes "Many of the big players now offer free or 'light' versions of their databases, some would call them crippleware. Builder AU compared databases from Oracle, IBM, Microsoft and MySQL, and the open source offering came out on top."
Even more obligatory, isn't someone going to post the list of mysql's shortcomings circa version 3?
This is not the greatest sig in the world, this is just a tribute.
As I was struggling through an Oracle install a while back that Oracle doesn't have a great incentive to keep their products easy to use. Many common tasks, such as adding a column to a table or even just allowing clients to connect, are needlessly complex. I figure that this is actually part of their business model. Customers realize that they're in over their heads with the Oracle database, so they pay for premium support, trained Oracle consultants, and the like. Think of all the consultants who would starve if Oracle was easy to use.
Contrast this with MySQL. Installation is a breeze, and it's pretty flexible after it's installed: you can add or resize columns on the fly. Plus no TNSNAMES.ORA to worry about. I figure this is because MySQL is open source and the developers want to get you productive right away so that you continue to use their system, and eventually pay them for consulting and support, even when your application has outgrown the software.
Your design to a real part online: Big Blue Saw
When you hear politicians talk free trade, that free as in "free beer for all my buddies, courtesy the taxpayers", not free as in "free speech".