X-Original-To: pgsql-advocacy-postgresql.org@localhost.postgresql.org Received: from localhost (unknown [200.46.204.2]) by svr1.postgresql.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 870CBD1B498 for ; Fri, 23 Apr 2004 16:27:34 -0300 (ADT) Received: from svr1.postgresql.org ([200.46.204.71]) by localhost (neptune.hub.org [200.46.204.2]) (amavisd-new, port 10024) with ESMTP id 39245-10 for ; Fri, 23 Apr 2004 16:27:32 -0300 (ADT) Received: from flake.decibel.org (flake.decibel.org [66.143.173.58]) by svr1.postgresql.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 0BFA1D1D06E for ; Fri, 23 Apr 2004 16:27:30 -0300 (ADT) Received: (qmail 5947 invoked by uid 1001); 23 Apr 2004 19:27:30 -0000 Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2004 14:27:30 -0500 From: "Jim C. Nasby" To: Christopher Kings-Lynne Cc: Bruce Momjian , PostgreSQL-development , PostgreSQL advocacy Subject: Re: [HACKERS] What can we learn from MySQL? Message-ID: <20040423192730.GO41429@nasby.net> References: <200404230409.i3N49jC02890@candle.pha.pa.us> <4088B944.1050007@familyhealth.com.au> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <4088B944.1050007@familyhealth.com.au> X-Operating-System: FreeBSD 4.9-RELEASE-p3 i386 X-Distributed: Join the Effort! http://www.distributed.net User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.6i X-Virus-Scanned: by amavisd-new at postgresql.org X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.0 tagged_above=0.0 required=5.0 tests= X-Spam-Level: X-Archive-Number: 200404/227 X-Sequence-Number: 4199 On Fri, Apr 23, 2004 at 02:35:48PM +0800, Christopher Kings-Lynne wrote: > >My question is, "What can we learn from MySQL?" I don't know there is > >anything, but I think it makes sense to ask the question. > > > >Questions I have are: > > I have already told Bruce at length about the single most common > complaint in the phpPgAdmin lists and in the IRC channel: the inability > to change column types. I think we should listen to the punters on that > one. > > Also, how about a new section in the manual: PostgreSQL for MySQL users > and PostgreSQL for Oracle users? Maybe also a more generic section about how PGSQL is different from other databases. Maybe I'm just dense, but it took me a long time to figure out the whole lack of stored procedures thing (yes, PGSQL obviously has the functionality, but many experienced DBAs won't associate functions with stored procs). Pointing out the documentation on MVCC and how it changes how you want to use the database would be good, as would links to documentation on what postgresql.conf settings you want to change out of the box. On the other topics... I think the biggest service PGSQL could provide to the open source community is a resource that teaches people with no database experience the fundamentals of databases. If people had an understanding of what a RDBMS should be capable of and how it should be used, they wouldn't pick MySQL. Having a windows port is critical for 'student mindshare'. If PGSQL can't play on windows, professors can't use it. Likewise, installation on OS X should be made as easy as possible. That's for the 'low end' users (many of whom will eventually become 'high end'). For professionals who have database expertise, the comparison guide will help a lot. The other thing that will help is continuing to bring enterprise-class features in, like multi-master replication, partitioning, and clustering. But since people tend to think most about the technology, I'm sure those will make it in eventually anyway. :) -- Jim C. Nasby, Database Consultant jim@nasby.net Member: Triangle Fraternity, Sports Car Club of America Give your computer some brain candy! www.distributed.net Team #1828 Windows: "Where do you want to go today?" Linux: "Where do you want to go tomorrow?" FreeBSD: "Are you guys coming, or what?"