Re: PostgreSQL vs. Oracle vs. Microsoft

Randolf Richardson <rr(at)8x(dot)ca> writes:
> "tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us (Tom Lane)" wrote in pgsql.benchmarks:
>> Oracle prohibits their licensees from publishing independent benchmarks,
>> and I think the same is true for SQL Server. So you won't find anything
>> unbiased.

> Do you happen to have links to their license agreements?

Google turns up the Oracle license right away:

http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/htdocs/distlic.html?/technology/software/tech/windows/odpnet/utilsoft.html

About halfway down in the text box you'll find a long list of "you may not"s:

You may not:
...
disclose results of any program benchmark tests without our prior consent;
...

I didn't find the text of the SQL Server license at microsoft.com, but
I didn't spend that much time looking either.

(In the spirit of fairness: Oracle's claimed reason for this restriction
is that they don't want to be bad-mouthed by people who don't know what
a reasonable database benchmark is. I've seen enough bogus benchmarks
that I can sympathize with that. Nonetheless, writing such a thing into
your license agreement *is* an admission of weakness. If they had
confidence in their product they could let the free market figure out
which benchmarks mean something.)

regards, tom lane