[Gllug] Introductions to Databases

[Bruce Richardson]

On Fri, Jul 17, 2009 at 10:56:04AM +0100, Grzegorz wrote:
> > I agree, but let's not pretend that Postgresql makes a religion of
> > data purity; historically, it was the correctness and  
> > comprehensiveness
> > of the SQL implementation that the postgres development community  
> > cared
> > about; not only did performance come quite a distant second, so did  
> > data
> > integrity.  It's not *that* long ago that a chunk of the user base  
> > were
> > seeing regular data corruption issues with Postgresql.
> 
> and was that ever reported to postgresql hackers ?

Um, yes.  These were known issues.  It's not as if the user community
conspired to hide these things in case it upset the developers.

> Cos most of those usually come from hardware problems.
> On contrary, if you run out of space mysql will corrupt your data.  
> (unless they fixed that). Etc, etc.
> Try running mysql database, keep it busy, and keep pulling a plug on  
> that server.
> Not to mention funny SQL syntax that mysql allows, that can cause  
> problems. ...
> 
> Not to say, that postgresql is bug free, and wears white coat. But is  
> much better on safety and reliability side IMO.

I have extensive experience of using both in production systems.  Both
of them suck in their own ways.  The fact that Postgresql has always had
a more theoretically complete and correct SQL implementation isn't much
use when you run into some of its practical limitations.  I have seen
development teams port applications from MySQL to Postgresql and then
sincerely regret it (and other occasions when they were blissfully happy
about the move.)  I wouldn't mind so much if the Postgres community (at
least, a large part of it) didn't have such a superior attitude - they
can be every bit as dishonest about the shortcomings of Postgres as
MySQL AB was about the lack of transaction support, back in the day (is
that hilarious page about why MySQL didn't need to be ACID still up
somewhere?)

-- 
Bruce

The ice-caps are melting, tra-la-la-la.  All the world is drowning,
tra-la-la-la-la.  -- Tiny Tim.
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