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I think the reason that MySQL became more popular than PostgreSQL is because it did one thing really good: It was a very fast file access daemon. PostgreSQL tri

I think the reason that MySQL became more popular than PostgreSQL is because it did one thing really good: It was a very fast file access daemon. PostgreSQL tried to do too much, ended up not doing any of it very well especially in the area of performance and didn't become as popular. Maybe useful to remember this going forward.

deleted 14y ago
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jeffdavis 14y ago
I see it as a major success story. Postgres was developed over a long period of time with careful attention to architecture, robustness, and extensibility. It also focused on both external and internal documentation and cleanliness. And, it followed the traditional database system model with a cost-based optimizer and everything else. As a result, we see a very robust developer community. It's a real machine -- churning out high quality releases every year with a great mix of newsworthy features. Enterprises and startups alike are flocking to postgres for a huge variety of use cases. Slow and steady wins the race (and it doesn't hurt to be 5 tons and have tusks) and isn't tired afterward. And in databases, it's good to play for the long term because that's how long the data will last. I wouldn't trade that for some first-to-market popularity.
- taligent 14y ago
  Your entire argument falls apart when you look at all of the companies that chose MySQL over PostgreSQL and are still using them today. Basically every major internet site today relies on MySQL.
  - jeffdavis 14y ago
    First of all, the success of postgresql and mysql are not mutually exclusive. Postgres operates in a lot of markets that MySQL doesn't (as far as I know) like telecom and finance. Postgres gets entirely new users with a variety of use cases, as well as people from Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, and even some converts from people who tried NoSQL and found it lacking in some way. An undeniably, there is a shift happening, even in parts of the market that were a MySQL stronghold. Heroku and their customers use postgres for multi-tenancy. Instagram uses postgres for photo-sharing. I think MySQL has been very complacent because they are the default for a lot of simple web apps, and that keeps their numbers high. They aren't really breaking into new markets -- postgres is winning the geospatial market big time, and is always coming out with new features to break into new markets (personally, I am trying to advance postgres into the temporal database space).
    - darnaut 14y ago
      > Postgres operates in a lot of markets that MySQL doesn't [..] like telecom and finance MySQL cluster is highly popular in telecom. http://www.mysql.com/customers/industry/?id=78 http://www.mysql.com/customers/industry/?id=78
      - jeffdavis 14y ago
        I stand corrected.

deleted 14y ago

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jeffdavis 14y ago

I see it as a major success story. Postgres was developed over a long period of time with careful attention to architecture, robustness, and extensibility. It also focused on both external and internal documentation and cleanliness. And, it followed the traditional database system model with a cost-based optimizer and everything else. As a result, we see a very robust developer community. It's a real machine -- churning out high quality releases every year with a great mix of newsworthy features. Enterprises and startups alike are flocking to postgres for a huge variety of use cases. Slow and steady wins the race (and it doesn't hurt to be 5 tons and have tusks) and isn't tired afterward. And in databases, it's good to play for the long term because that's how long the data will last. I wouldn't trade that for some first-to-market popularity.

taligent 14y ago
Your entire argument falls apart when you look at all of the companies that chose MySQL over PostgreSQL and are still using them today. Basically every major internet site today relies on MySQL.
- jeffdavis 14y ago
  First of all, the success of postgresql and mysql are not mutually exclusive. Postgres operates in a lot of markets that MySQL doesn't (as far as I know) like telecom and finance. Postgres gets entirely new users with a variety of use cases, as well as people from Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, and even some converts from people who tried NoSQL and found it lacking in some way. An undeniably, there is a shift happening, even in parts of the market that were a MySQL stronghold. Heroku and their customers use postgres for multi-tenancy. Instagram uses postgres for photo-sharing. I think MySQL has been very complacent because they are the default for a lot of simple web apps, and that keeps their numbers high. They aren't really breaking into new markets -- postgres is winning the geospatial market big time, and is always coming out with new features to break into new markets (personally, I am trying to advance postgres into the temporal database space).
  - darnaut 14y ago
    > Postgres operates in a lot of markets that MySQL doesn't [..] like telecom and finance MySQL cluster is highly popular in telecom. http://www.mysql.com/customers/industry/?id=78 http://www.mysql.com/customers/industry/?id=78
    - jeffdavis 14y ago
      I stand corrected.