Re: Postgre vs MySQL

On Fri, 5 Jul 2002, Shaun Thomas wrote:

> Mysql is in many ways, a
> glorified file-storage mechanism with a SQL front-end.  Its simplicity
> gives it many advantages when you don't need all the features of
> postgres.

Advantages such as what? It does have less row overhead, which is good
if you've got very small rows, and that also makes importing data
faster. It also has much better access control, though postgres' will
impove with the next release this fall. But all in all, I'd say that
there's not much that really makes MySQL better.

> But the real question is why a database at all?  Mailservers have their
> own logging systems usually, so why not just save that?  A database
> doesn't seem the best place to save logs relating to legal requirements
> when those are generally around the 2-7 year range.

Yeah, I'd tend to go for flat files here, too.

> Personally, I'd start by using flat files.  Then, if lots of people need
> to query them for some odd reason, go to mysql.

I think that there's no reason, in this case to chose MySQL over postgres.

> No reason to jump straight to the endgame.  It's akin to using an ICBM
> to swat a fly.  ^_^

In this case, the ICBM is just as easy to use as the fly-swatter,
and does just the same job, but leaves you the ICBM capability in
reserve should you need it. :-)

cjs
--
Curt Sampson  <cjs@cynic.net>   +81 90 7737 2974   http://www.netbsd.org
    Don't you know, in this new Dark Age, we're all light.  --XTC