PostgreSQL 8.4 Out 191
Posted
by
timothy
from the would-you-name-your-daughter-postgres? dept.
from the would-you-name-your-daughter-postgres? dept.
TheFuzzy writes "PostgreSQL version 8.4 is now out and available for download. The main cool features in this version are: recursive queries (for doing trees etc.), windowing functions (for doing reports) column-level permissions, parallel database restore, a beta in-place upgrade tool, and a host of administrative improvements. And, of course, better performance, mainly on reporting queries. Some of the over 200 new or enhanced features are listed here."
cross database joins?? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:So why (Score:5, Interesting)
No, but Oracle taking over MySQL and the community already showing signs of forking in 4 different directions might be a reason to seriously look at PostgreSQL.
Re:So why (Score:5, Interesting)
Does anyone even use mySQL when they have features like this? The only issue I have ever had with this DB was when I was trying to connect a .net app to it and it took me a while to find a workaround.
Because I don't need features like this, and don't know how to use them. At least, as far as I know, I don't need features like this. Since I don't know how to use them, it doesn't really matter, does it?
MySQL is what I've been running for several years; I'm familiar with the software. I use DBD::mysql in my Perl scripts; I'm sure most things would work fine if I simply switched to DBD::Pg, but would any queries need to be changed? I have no idea. Of course I'd need to migrate my data from MySQL to PostgreSQL; I'm not even sure of the "correct" way to migrate data from one installation of MySQL to another (copying the data files and then fixing whatever's broken usually works well enough). Of course, I'm running a few PHP-based webapps that currently use MySQL; I don't know if it's possible to get them to work with PostgreSQL or not (switching database engines in PHP isn't as simple as it is in Perl).
I could take the time to do the research and find answers to these questions. Or I could keep using what I know works just fine. Maybe someday I'll have some compelling need to try PostgreSQL and see if switching is practical. Today is not that day.
Does this answer your question?
Re:So why (Score:3, Interesting)
The only reason there are comparisons between MySQL and PostgreSQL is because they are both Open Source. Otherwise there is no comparison.
PostgreSQL is a fully featured, enterprise ready, RDBMS and stands for comparison with Oracle and DB2 and to a lesser extent Sybase/SQL Server. MySQL is not even in the same league as any of the previously mentioned. However, web developers seem to like it...
I'll show my colours and say that I've been working with Oracle for over 10 years, and I love it, it gets better all the time. I can't comment on DB2 as I haven't used it for about 10 years and then only briefly.
I've just finished managing a six month data migration project from SQL Server to Oracle. Oracle is head and shoulders above SQL Server in the query stakes and stomps all over it with it's procedural language (PL/SQL vs TSQL). PostgreSQL is much more Oracle-like than anything else, pl/pgsq is even comparable with PL/SQL although not as feature rich.
I recon the Postgres guys are at least at a par with 8i comparing against Oracle, which is pretty damned impressive.