Re: comparision chart - Mailing list pgsql-sql

On Wednesday 20 February 2002 12:39 pm, clayton cottingham wrote:
> hello:
>
> im working on a comparison chart for features between different
> databases
>

Open Source Projects.
==================

mysql
------

http://www.mysql.com/

Widely used as a very fast read only database. Backs _many_ web sites.
Locking at the table level only, thus update of the database best done when 
effectively in single-user-mode. Transactions implemented using external 
methods. Questionable stability under heavy load. Said to be improving.

Weird semi-open licence. See:- http://www.mysql.com/support/arrangements.html

postgresql
-----------

http://www.postgresql.org/

Somewhat slower, but absolutely solid. Many datatypes, with inheritance.
Transactions implemented using builtin methods. Fine grained locking thus 
safe multi-user read-write operations possible. Extensively used for reseach 
and beginning to used for real world financial recording. Many "add-on" 
third-party projects and language APIs. Documentation sometimes rather 
cryptic and difficult to understand, but definitely improving.

Source code available under BSD Licence.
Several very helpful mail lists. 
Several pretty well-written books available.

Commercial Offerings.
==================

db2
---

http://www-4.ibm.com/software/data/db2/

Dirived directly from the original RDBMS from IBM. Mature stable system, 
possibly suffering from compounding overbyte and creeping featureitis. Fast 
and works well. Extensively used in the commercial world. 

Free downloads and CDROMs for personal use; commercial binaries available for 
many platforms including Linux.


sqlserver oracle and sybase

I have no experience of these.

you forgot

Interbase
----------

http://www.borland.com/interbase/

SAP
---

http://www.sap.com/

Purports to be Europe's leading commercial database.
Underlying engine GPL licensed. Binaries for several platforms and source 
available for d/l and free on CDROMs. Huge range of commercial applications 
supported.
Infomix.
--------

http://www.informix.com/     which forwards to:-
http://www-4.ibm.com/software/data/informix/

IBM have recently bought Infomix to both extend their customer base and for 
its technical features. Commercial binaries available for many platforms, 
free for personal educational use on Linux. Truly extensive, well written, 
but chaotically organised, documentation. Works very well. Common distant 
ancestor with postgresql.

HTH

--
Sincerely etc.,
Christopher Sawtell.