Re: PostgreSQL flamage on Slashdot

> -----Original Message-----
> From: pgsql-advocacy-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org
> [mailto:pgsql-advocacy-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org]On Behalf Of Merlin Moncure
> Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2003 10:44 AM
> To: Robert Treat
> Cc: PostgreSQL Advocacy
> Subject: Re: [pgsql-advocacy] PostgreSQL flamage on Slashdot
>
>
> Robert Treat wrote:
> > One thing that has been bothering me lately is the amount of FUD that
> is
> > used in the pro-mysql arguments.
>
> That is a serious problem. I'd like to point out that on Slashdot, at
> least, there was a lot more of FUD (mostly true) about mysql that got
> higher mods than postgres. Mysql was compared to a flat file system
> with sql, and even was (insult of insults) compared unfavorably to
> access.
>
> The real question is: why is mysql getting much greater attention from
> the mainstream press?

Because we're slackers! ;-)

Some of the mainstream news sites are providing
> benchmarks and comparisons between mysql and big iron. Where is
> postgres? A lot of the information on the web is outdated and/or
> deliberately set up to magnify postgres's one performance weakness (if
> you call it that): insert performance outside of wrapped transactions.
>
> This is the challenge to the advocacy group: advocate. Write benchmarks
> and editorials and submit them to sites like phpbuilder and Slashdot.
> Since toast came out, there is really very little use for any other
> database unless you absolutely have to deploy on windows or require
> replication. My company is reluctant to move to postgres from sql
> server because of limited visibility (slammer is helping tho).

That's only part of it. Since I'm a developer, I think more software is key.
Getting products that require MySQL is a big downside to PostgreSQL. Most of
the time too, those products are great and win over a lot of people.
(vBulletin, Slashdot.org) Of course those were written for MySQL for all the
wrong reasons as well. Such famous apps give MySQL credibility where it
should not. (Well, I can't say that technically - I have to say that the app
designers chose MySQL, for what reasons, we don't know (usually popularity
but it may have been more analytical than that.) but somehow Joe blow things
MySQL will be good for his app too)

So I see our problem more one of popularity for apps. Why that is, is
another question.