The World's Most Popular Open Source Database?

That is the tagline for MySQL and everyone just assumes it to be true.  Meanwhile, PostgreSQL's tagline is The World's Most Advanced Open Source Database and everyone just assumes that to be true as well.  

So, if you say it, is it true?

If I were to say I was The World's Most Prolific Blogger, people would laugh.  So, you can't just say it.  I think you need to prove it somehow, even if anecdotally. 

So, there is a lot of proof out there for both statements.  I have always maintained that:

the best Postgres customer is one who already uses MySQL

Why?  Because they are already suffering with its lack of data integrity, lack of scalability, etc.  Don't take my word for it.  Do a google search or see einhverfr's reivews of both Postgres and MySQL on Ohloh.

Postgres is by far the world's most advanced open source database.  The proof is everywhere.

And I hate to be the one to buck conventional wisdom (right.... lol), but is MySQL really the world's most popular open source database?

I don't know anymore.  There is plenty of proof out there for sure.  But, take a look at freshmeat and you really have to wonder.  Postgres is the 21st most popular project.  MySQL is 336th!!!

Add to that the fact that there is relatively zero marketing and no company behind Postgres and you start to wonder what the real results are.  MySQL tracks customers and downloads.  Postgres does not.  We only know who the Postgres users are if they tell us. 

I think the claim by MySQL may be true only because we can't prove it wrong.  Wouldn't it be ironic if Postgres was BOTH the most advanced AND the most popular?

My next blog post will be about what makes MySQL so popular.

Book Review

At long last, the EnterpriseDB book is available!!!   Woo hoo!  The book was written by Oracle ACE, Lewis Cunningham.  You should really read his blog on IT Toolbox, "An Expert's Guide to Oracle Technology".

Anyway, the book is fantastic. 

I have read through much of the book now and find it to be very educational. Besides the first chapter, which provides some history and color around EnterpriseDB and PostgreSQL, every page contains either code snippets or screen captures.

It is very detailed and specific and any DBA or developer should be able to migrate an application from Oracle or develop a new application from scratch with this book's assistance.
Though you could read it from cover to cover, it is even better as a reference book to keep handy when migrating an app or developing a new app.

Every Oracle developer and DBA should have a copy of this book on their desk and get familiar with EnterpriseDB.

The only downside is that it is based on version 8.1 of the product. Version 8.3 is now available, so hopefully there is an updated version on the way!

Amazon shows the book as not yet available.  But, it will be soon!  I have over 1000 copies here.  If you want one, let me know. 

2007 Year in Review

2007 was a busy year for the database market, which to some people may sound surprising.  After all, the database market is supposedly the most mature and stagnant market.  Even Gartner stopped doing a Magic Quadrant for the database market years ago because there is nothing new...  hmmm..

So, what interesting things happened this year?  Here are a few, in no particular order, along with my commentary

1. Oracle quietly changed their per-core licensing for Standard Edition and Standard Edition One to per socket pricing.  They claim it was in response to SQL Server, but we all know it's because of the increasing pressure it feels from open source databases like Postgres and MySQL.
2. MySQL hinted that they would go public before the end of 2007... and then they didn't.  Methinks that they might have been trying to put the heat on Oracle to buy them and wanted to play hardball.  No one stepped up to the plate.  I think they might actually do it in 2008.
3. Oracle launched Database 11g in July.  Everyone yawned.  And then realized that all the new cool features are add-ons on top of the "arm AND a leg" pricing they charge today.
4. EnterpriseDB immediately beat Oracle 11g for Best Database Award at LinuxWorld Expo. - A little self-serving?  Absolutely!  It's my blog!!!
5. Vertica came out of stealth mode...  Didn't you notice?  Maybe you have to look sideways to see them.
6. FTD Runs Oracle Reports on EnterpriseDB - This story and the  subsequent webcast really woke up the Oracle folks.  Suddenly, there are 3 Oracle product managers on every EnterpriseDB webcast AND Oracle started buying our trade name in Google Adwords.  Is someone scared?  They should be!
7. IBM buys SolidDB to compete with Oracle TimesTen In-Memory DB.  This is interesting to me, not so much because of the competition with Oracle, but man oh man, what is MySQL going to do?  I would hate to be an investor right now. 

So, that's seven items I thought were interesting in 2007.  2008 is already heating up to be a fantastic year.  I can't wait to see how it shakes out with all the new things coming...

Catching Up on OLD News - SolidDB

Well, another year has passed and I plan to write a quick year-in-review post, but I wanted to highlight a particularly interesting piece of news from the week prior to Christmas.

IBM announced the acquisition of SolidDB.  IBM has done this, according to their public statements to better compete with the Oracle Times Ten in-memory database, but it once again shows the fragility of the MySQL product set.

In the last 2 years, MySQL has seen its most robust storage engines bought by would-be competitors.  In late 2005, Oracle bought InnoDB who provided MySQL with the only real transactional storage engine. 

Now, IBM has purchased SolidDB, who provided the only other real transactional storage engine for MySQL.

This means that MySQL may have to rely heavily on their yet-to-be-released Falcon storage engine.  Word is that it will become GA with MySQL 6.0. 

If you had a choice between a brand spankin new storage engine or one that has already been proven, what would you choose?