> AIUI MySQL licencing costs can be 'got round' by the customer installing > it themselves, and the vfp app just happens to use it. But the > licencing thing is an issue even so. OTOH MySQL seems to be much better > accepted by ISPs etc ... >
I would not be able to "get away with" having my clients try to install their own MySQL database on the "thingy you geeks call a server." And, even though I like the Thrill Of The Sneak as much as the next person, fair is fair. I guess in my world if I have to ask if something is the right thing to do or not, most likely it isn't. So rather than feeling like I have to look over my shoulder perpetually, or wondering if/when the back-license fees will begin to haunt me, I opted to take the coward's way out, so to say. Certainly the totally Open Source and Totally Free part of PostgreSQL was not the major factor in my decision. It was only a part of the reason I went that way. I will agree that it "seems" that MySQL is more popular than PostgreSQL with ISPs, but I sense that may be a bit anecdotal. I never bothered looking into which is more popular with "hard numbers." I know MySQL had some features once lacking in PostgreSQL, hence was the Top Dog for a while a few years ago. But from what I have been reading the two are pretty well matched now, much less very competitive in comparison to Oracle and MS SQL Server. Both PostgreSQL and MySQL are available on Suse Linux Enterprise Server and Ubuntu Linux. Even if MySQL was truly "more popular" than PostgreSQL I would have opted for PostgreSQL given its overall balance of performance, scalability, available documentation and (free) support, features, and ability to run on Windows, Linux and UNIX (Mac OS X included). All that said, even if you were to wind up going to MySQL I would not throw a rock at you. It is a fine product with a proven track record. If it were also totally free my decision would have been a bit tougher, frankly. It and PostgreSQL are that close in my opinion. Gil > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Brian Abbott > Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 4:52 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [NF] RE: VFP and PostgreSQL used to process FTC DoNotCall > updates > > > Gil Hale wrote: > >> I'm interested in why you ended up with Postgres rather than MySql or > >> Firebird. Was it an easy decision or a close call? > >> > > > > Well, let's see. I know you did not ask why not M$ SQL Server > or Oracle, so > > I assume you are also trying to avoid some of the things I > wanted to avoid - > > $$$ and/or dependence on running on a M$ platform and dealing with M$ > > planned obsolescence (or their free SQL Server versions that > have scaling > > limitations of their own). So you have robbed me of an > opportunity to bash > > on M$ a bit for my purposes <g>. That is okay, let's get on with it... > > > > MySQL kicks ass, but it also has a dual license, and I was > concerned about > > any potential fees either I or my clients would incur were I to deploy a > > MySQL database on their Server(s) for commercial use, with me not being > > willing to release my Source Code into the public domain. I am > not sure how > > much the license fee is for commercial use of MySQL when the > Source Code is > > kept private, but I think it is $400/Server annually. Most of > my clients > > are Auto Dealers, and even something for free is too much to pay (they > > really do run on very tight margins). An additional $400/year would be > > painful to explain, especially when they have had VFP for free > for so many > > years from me. They would not be wanting to hear all the Geek > Speak re: why > > I had to migrate for any one of several reasons (scalability, built in > > security, performance over a thin net connection, hot backups, > > Cross-Platform capable...). > > > > Firebird looked promising, as it is totally Open Source, and > has some pretty > > solid legacy roots. But I found the documentation was a bit light as > > compared to MySql and PostgreSQL (2 years ago, may 3). I do know of one > > company that uses Firebird, and their app has terrible > performance with any > > kind of fairly large table sizes. Of course, that is totally > due to their > > design, where they take all the Firebird tables from the server and pull > > them to the local PC to cache all records (for faster > performance). This is > > done both at startup and any time a locally cached cursor is > hit, to make > > certain all local records are up to date from the server! It is not > > Firebird that causes the large delay in lighting up and running the > > application. I know it is just a silly assed and poor design by the > > developers. But, it still left a bad taste in my mouth, > however unfair that > > may have been. > > > > I was intrigued by the punchy performance offered by PostgreSQL, and the > > large amount of information available at the local bookstores. The > > reference material available is pretty much on par with the Big > Boys. It > > has been around in its current and predecessor forms for a long > time, and is > > rock solid. It is totally open source, free to use without any license > > fees, and Cross-Platform capable. So, I picked up a few books > on PostgreSQL > > (I also have "The First Official" Firebird Book, some MySQL > books, plenty of > > MS SQL and Oracle books from prior projects). I never looked > back. I also > > considered the fact that Dabo is able to connect to PostgreSQL > (as well as > > MySQL and others), so once I begin to migrate to that development > > environment my investment in learning PostgreSQL will not be wasted. > > > > In short, if I had to prepare to move from a VFP back end to a > "real RDBMS" > > in order to get huge scalability, great performance over thin-net > > connections, built in security, Cross-Platform capability, Hot > Backups and > > no license fees, I wanted to make a single move. I asked a lot of my > > compadres (to include ProFox members) their opinions and > experiences. As > > good as MySQL was, it was the totally free part with PostgreSQL > that won the > > day. Firebird just did not have enough documentation for my > comfort, and I > > hardly know anyone who has used it. PostgreSQL just flat out feels more > > comfortable to me, and has no inherent deficiencies that would > impact me. > > And, thus far it is behaving great with a VFP front end. > > > > I hope that is helpful. Good luck in your apparent impending cut-over. > > > > Gil > > > > Thanks Gil > > Yes, that was useful. > > AIUI MySQL licencing costs can be 'got round' by the customer installing > it themselves, and the vfp app just happens to use it. But the > licencing thing is an issue even so. OTOH MySQL seems to be much better > accepted by ISPs etc ... > > -- > Cheers > > ============ > Brian Abbott > ============ > > [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/profox/[EMAIL PROTECTED] ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
