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From: Richard Huxton <dev@archonet.com>
Organization: Archonet Ltd
To: "Mirco D'Angelo" <dangelo@isic.org>, pgsql-sql@postgresql.org
Subject: Re: newbie question
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 17:49:48 +0100
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On Sunday 07 Jul 2002 10:59 pm, Mirco D'Angelo wrote:
> Hi
>
> I am going to learn MySql 'cause I have to, but would it be better, or
> let's say, more interesting, to learn postgressql? Is it newer, more
> common, etc.?

Mysql is more common on web-hosting platforms, but you can find PostgreSQL =
if=20
you look. PostgreSQL's ancestors go back further than MySQL - both get=20
updated regularly, so "newer" doesn't mean much.

Mysql is easier to setup initially, but both systems require knowledge to t=
une=20
properly. Both have a lot of online documentation - I'm not sure that one i=
s=20
better than the other. The mailing lists for PostgreSQL are very helpful an=
d=20
contain some very experienced people.

PostgreSQL offers some more advanced features. Once you are used to these=
=20
features it is irritating to find them missing in MySql. For some=20
applications they are pretty much mandatory. PostgreSQL also tends to fit=
=20
standards more than MySQL. Where I use MySQL behind a website I tend to use=
=20
PostgreSQL to manage the data here during development.

I'd recommend installing both if you can. Try to make sure anything you wri=
te=20
works on both and check the documentation for where both diverge from=20
standards.

- Richard Huxton