I was often asking the same question. The only coherent answer I could discern was that mysql was easier to install on windows. Which was true: until 8.0, postgres required cygwin to work on windows. I guess it just never occurred to me that this might be an issue, since I couldn't fathom why anyone would want to do that. But the reality is that most people -- including developers -- use windows. The threshold required to get mysql to work is lower, and people are willing to put up with an inferior solution if it is easier to install.
Which is unfortunate. I was completely blown away by postgres from the first time I used it. After that mysql looked like a pathetic toy.
Back when mysql was faster than postgres for simple selects, mysql proponents were jumping up and down about performance. And, in fact, a very narrow definition of performance, with only simple reads. No writes. Single CPU. One client. You can't step too far away from those parameters because then mysql performance starts to suck.
Now that there is a respectable benchmark showing postgresql to be faster, performance is suddenly not the issue.
Yep. It's right up there with mysql developers claiming that transactions are useless back when mysql didn't have them.
1) Ease of use: MySQL has readline, and supports lazier SQL programming. It has loads of syntactic sugar that lets you write simple things in whatever way makes sense to you. Adding users, changing passwords, backing up... it is all _easy_. Of course, postgres can do everything MySQL can too, the question is which is easier.
PostgreSQL's command-line shell is far better than mysql. In addition to what mysql does, psql supports tab-completion and other nice things. It's been a while since I looked at mysql, but when I did the difference between the two respective command-line interfaces was like the difference between bash and sh.
2) Extensive developer community. We use python and the MySQL/python integration is great. We have a few UDFs that are home-grown but some of them were just downloaded off the net and installed. I'm sure you can find far more for MySQL than for Postgres.
Uh-huh. You are "sure". Several times I asked for support on postgresql mailing lists and the response has always been excellent. Usually I got answers within hours.
I think one of the reasons that mysql became ubiquitous is that it had proper windows support early on. So, just like windows, everyone uses mysql because everyone else does, and they are willing to jump through hoops to work around all the deficiencies the platform has, simply because they don't know any better.
When did slashdot become a substitute for usenet/google/wiki or (gawd forbid) a fucking manual? Why do editors feel inclined to post the drivel of every clueless newbie who needs handholding, while rejecting important/interesting news stories?
As to the poster's question: read the fucking manual, kid.
Better article: here. I never heard about it until now, and it certainly deserves a lot more coverage than that lying bitch who accused Duke guys of rape.
That said, the 25 points also important. Global warming, geopolitics, government corruption, etc. Those issues affect all of us.
Somebody (RedHat, IBM, OSDL, FSF -- whatever) needs to file a "put up or shut up" lawsuit against Microsoft, seeking the following relief:
Either: List all patents Microsoft believes are being infringed, and explain how they apply to Linux (this clause has to be water-tight to prevent hand-waving and vagueness).
OR: Shut up and pay damages for libel, unfair competition, restraint of trade, or whatever other laws apply here.
Recall, RedHat did sue SCO for exactly the same reason. It didn't make much of a difference -- that case was stayed pending the resolution of SCO v. IBM and SCO v. Novell, and it doesn't look like there will be anything left for RedHat to sue once Novell and/or IBM are done with SCO. However, it would make a huge difference vs. Microsoft. Until this is done, the FUD will not stop.
We all know that this is bullshit. However, a CTO of a fortune 500 company would likely pay the exto^H^H^H^H ehhh.... "protection" money to cover his ass. I fully expect Microsoft to use the vague patent threats to "win" customers. And this will only get worse until somebody actually fights back. I am surprised no one has done anything about this yet.
Now remember kids, the mere action of settling does not technically constitute any kind of admission on Microsoft's part.
Iowa relied on the federal antitrust ruling of 2000 which already found Microsoft to be an abusive monopolist. The Iowa's case was only about how much Microsoft has to pay as a compensation for breaking antitrust laws.
I looked over the NASDAQ continued listing requirements (page 5), and it looks like SCOX is doomed no matter what. The very first requirement is that stockholders' equity must be above $10M. According to SCOX's latest balance sheet, the stockholders' equity was $8.082M as of October 31, 2006. There is every reason to expect that it only went downhill from there.
I am amazed this has not been done already. Some authority figure in the open source community (be it RMS, Linus, FSF, RedHat -- whatever) must stand up and say "what patents?". They must write an open letter to Ballmer asking him to disclose with specificity what patents he believes apply to Linux, what parts of Linux (file, version, lines of code) he believes infringe on said patents, etc. This is the only way to stop the FUD. If Microsoft replies, we can either remove the allegedly infringing code or debunk their claims. If Microsoft fails to reply, everyone will see that they are full of shit. Either way we come out ahead.
It would be worthwhile to point out that the strategy of vague, unsubstantiated accusations has already failed for Microsoft's minion, SCO, when IBM asked them in legal filings the exact same question and it turned out that SCO was bluffing all along.
You can post here on/. till you're blue in the face, but until there is an official response from an open source authority figure the FUD will not stop.
Slashdot Mirror
I was often asking the same question. The only coherent answer I could discern was that mysql was easier to install on windows. Which was true: until 8.0, postgres required cygwin to work on windows. I guess it just never occurred to me that this might be an issue, since I couldn't fathom why anyone would want to do that. But the reality is that most people -- including developers -- use windows. The threshold required to get mysql to work is lower, and people are willing to put up with an inferior solution if it is easier to install.
Which is unfortunate. I was completely blown away by postgres from the first time I used it. After that mysql looked like a pathetic toy.
Back when mysql was faster than postgres for simple selects, mysql proponents were jumping up and down about performance. And, in fact, a very narrow definition of performance, with only simple reads. No writes. Single CPU. One client. You can't step too far away from those parameters because then mysql performance starts to suck.
Now that there is a respectable benchmark showing postgresql to be faster, performance is suddenly not the issue.
Yep. It's right up there with mysql developers claiming that transactions are useless back when mysql didn't have them.
PostgreSQL's command-line shell is far better than mysql. In addition to what mysql does, psql supports tab-completion and other nice things. It's been a while since I looked at mysql, but when I did the difference between the two respective command-line interfaces was like the difference between bash and sh.
2) Extensive developer community. We use python and the MySQL/python integration is great. We have a few UDFs that are home-grown but some of them were just downloaded off the net and installed. I'm sure you can find far more for MySQL than for Postgres.
Uh-huh. You are "sure". Several times I asked for support on postgresql mailing lists and the response has always been excellent. Usually I got answers within hours.
I think one of the reasons that mysql became ubiquitous is that it had proper windows support early on. So, just like windows, everyone uses mysql because everyone else does, and they are willing to jump through hoops to work around all the deficiencies the platform has, simply because they don't know any better.
When did slashdot become a substitute for usenet/google/wiki or (gawd forbid) a fucking manual? Why do editors feel inclined to post the drivel of every clueless newbie who needs handholding, while rejecting important/interesting news stories?
As to the poster's question: read the fucking manual, kid.
Better article: here. I never heard about it until now, and it certainly deserves a lot more coverage than that lying bitch who accused Duke guys of rape.
That said, the 25 points also important. Global warming, geopolitics, government corruption, etc. Those issues affect all of us.
80 C is about twice the temperature you are likely to encounter in the desert.
The highest temperature ever recorded on earth is 56.7 C (in Death Valley).
100 C is the boiling temperature of water.
This *is* slashdot...
Somebody (RedHat, IBM, OSDL, FSF -- whatever) needs to file a "put up or shut up" lawsuit against Microsoft, seeking the following relief:
Either:
List all patents Microsoft believes are being infringed, and explain how they apply to Linux (this clause has to be water-tight to prevent hand-waving and vagueness).
OR:
Shut up and pay damages for libel, unfair competition, restraint of trade, or whatever other laws apply here.
Recall, RedHat did sue SCO for exactly the same reason. It didn't make much of a difference -- that case was stayed pending the resolution of SCO v. IBM and SCO v. Novell, and it doesn't look like there will be anything left for RedHat to sue once Novell and/or IBM are done with SCO. However, it would make a huge difference vs. Microsoft. Until this is done, the FUD will not stop.
We all know that this is bullshit. However, a CTO of a fortune 500 company would likely pay the exto^H^H^H^H ehhh.... "protection" money to cover his ass. I fully expect Microsoft to use the vague patent threats to "win" customers. And this will only get worse until somebody actually fights back. I am surprised no one has done anything about this yet.
Iowa relied on the federal antitrust ruling of 2000 which already found Microsoft to be an abusive monopolist. The Iowa's case was only about how much Microsoft has to pay as a compensation for breaking antitrust laws.
The winners go on to compete in SECOND robotic competition.
I looked over the NASDAQ continued listing requirements (page 5), and it looks like SCOX is doomed no matter what. The very first requirement is that stockholders' equity must be above $10M. According to SCOX's latest balance sheet, the stockholders' equity was $8.082M as of October 31, 2006. There is every reason to expect that it only went downhill from there.
Their security system is so good, it regularly deletes all email, just so that no one else gets it.
creationists will go apeshit!
yvaN ehT nioJ
Don't give those crazy 2-year-olds any ideas!
I think even bigger news is that somebody still pays attention to ESR.
I am amazed this has not been done already. Some authority figure in the open source community (be it RMS, Linus, FSF, RedHat -- whatever) must stand up and say "what patents?". They must write an open letter to Ballmer asking him to disclose with specificity what patents he believes apply to Linux, what parts of Linux (file, version, lines of code) he believes infringe on said patents, etc. This is the only way to stop the FUD. If Microsoft replies, we can either remove the allegedly infringing code or debunk their claims. If Microsoft fails to reply, everyone will see that they are full of shit. Either way we come out ahead.
/. till you're blue in the face, but until there is an official response from an open source authority figure the FUD will not stop.
It would be worthwhile to point out that the strategy of vague, unsubstantiated accusations has already failed for Microsoft's minion, SCO, when IBM asked them in legal filings the exact same question and it turned out that SCO was bluffing all along.
You can post here on
Should have used ZX-14!
Canada. The land of the beaver.
in 3...2...1...
Microsoft has been doing the same thing forever.
Kill Bird flu with Fish!
My guess: some stupid americans had never seen a twoney.
exactly! This is known as the strawman argument.
Yeah. Good luck with that.