database stuff (was: Re: [geeks] Accountable Geeking)

[alex j avriette]

> Okay, for simple stuff, can anyone give me reasons (not a flamewar, but
> reasons) to get acquainted with PostgreSQL instead of continuing to use
> MySQL?

it depends on what you mean by 'simple.'

with database selection it really depends on your data, your hardware, 
your software, and your os. im inclined to believe that for cygwin it 
doesnt really matter what database you run. if youre doing SMP, probably 
mysql isnt your best bet. if youre going to have lots of concurrent 
connections, oracle and postgres are more robust than mysql when it 
comes to crashes and the like.

ive personally benched mysql and postgres against my dataset (a few 
million xml metadata files and a corresponding few million tiffs and 
pdf's), and dont find mysql to be faster at all.

on a sort of personal note, i am really happy with the postgresql 
developers. theyre a great group of people and totally willing to help 
with things, while i have not found the same to be true of mysql 
developers. i also "feel like" im using a database with postgres -- I 
dont get that same feeling with mysql.

additionally the documentation for postgresql is just fantastic.

i understand that mysql is commonly used in 'enterprise' business, but 
ive actually had several people track me down looking for my skills with 
postgres and offering me jobs, etc.

perhaps if you elaborated on the purpose of the database and the data it 
was serving, i could be, ahem, of more service to you.

alex