Re: Feedback from LinuxWorld, London

Simon Riggs wrote:
> - PostgreSQL has connected strongly with most technical staff that
> know anything about databases. There is nothing to worry about in
> terms of core functionality. PostgreSQL has connected very poorly
> with two groups: technical people who are aware of, but know nothing
> about databases and database final-decision-makers.

Problem is, these people do not go to the expos.  At the expos you cater
to the technical people so they can in turn influence the "decision
makers".

> - Many current MySQL users would like to adopt PostgreSQL but feel
> unable to do so because their application package does not support
> PostgreSQL at all/well enough or they feel there are technical issues
> with the MySQL to PostgreSQL code (not data) migration.

And of course they are right.  Porting from MySQL to PostgreSQL is a
problem, one which could only be solved by dumbing down PostgreSQL to
accept many of MySQL's idiosyncracies, which isn't going to happen.

> - Most people's perception is that MySQL is PostgreSQL's competitor,
> and my observation is that we don't specifically provide any direct
> information or refutation to answer this Most Frequent Question.
> [Objective feedback I have received was that the PostgreSQL people on
> stand handled this question professionally and credibly by explaining
> the differences and encouraging people to examine this for
> themselves, rather than being dismissive or rude.]

"See for yourself" has always worked best at the expos I was involved
in, but the question does get annoying...

--
Peter Eisentraut
http://developer.postgresql.org/~petere/