Re: Free SQL DBMSs: a survey as of August 2002

pgulutzan_at_yahoo.ca (Peter Gulutzan) wrote:

> > What you really mean is Open Source (R)DBMS's, isn't it?

> That wasn't my intent, but after excluding betas, demos, and
> requires-initial-payment offerings, it turns out almost all are open
> source.

Well, what's the point in being free unless you are also Open Source?

Developer editions of non-free stuff aside, and the motives for those are transparent.

You get to control the direction of the project, and can benefit from the input of others.

> > I don't think they'll be changing policy soon!

> I am cautious about predicting what they will do. Perhaps that
> indicates that they've managed to confuse me in the past.

Sure, but to do it, go back and then do it again? Ain't gonna happen, plus I think that the glory days of .com are gone - people are going to be more careful in future - but hey, that's been said before also.

I've some swamp land in Florida I could let you have if you're interested.... 8-)

That said, I'd be prepared to bet a year's salary that I won't be contradicted for at least ten years.

> > AFAIK, you have to pay for [MySQL] transaction support and referential
> > integrity support, even if your app is non-free.

> Mr Tuuri has answered this, and similar would apply for MySQL/BDB. Mr
> Tuuri's company does sell a "hot backup" facility separately but
> support for transactions and foreign keys is part of the MySQL/InnoDB
> download.

Indeed - my apologies for any errors I made about MySQL/InnoDB!

> > My own personal preference is for Firebird - I mean where else can you
> > get a fully functional RDBMS in a 3 MB download (if you really penny
> > pinch, you can get an app installed on a floppy!!!!)

> That detail is not exclusive to Firebird, but the Mozilla-like license
> (which for commercial redistributors is better than GPL),

Hmm.... if you're just redistributing, it's really irrelevant. Seeing as Borland have brought Interbase back into the fold, I don't see any firm trying seriously to bump them out of the commercial IB niche.

There is a Russian project, called Yaffil, but I don't think it's huge - I can't even download it - the site is all in Russian.

But, it's the size to functionality ratio that astounds me - it really *_does_* matter...

> and the enthusiastic user community, are both pluses.

Indeed, and I think that it will gradually make its mark - though I really, really think that for its capacity, InterBase OS and/or Firebird are terribly underrated and underexposed.

> > I think that SAP might move into the Open Source
> > RDBMS niche as a leader.

> SAP has some critics too. I'll leave the predicting to others.

Ah, but it's such good craic!

Also, I think that SAP DB is a really, really strong offering, with backup from a strong (and perceived to be strong) company.  

> Your commentary was intelligent and to the point. Thank you.

If only you were a woman... 8-)

Sincères salutations (si vous etes francophone et sinon, "regards"!).

Paul...  

> Peter Gulutzan

-- 

plinehan__AT__yahoo__DOT__com