PostgreSQL 15 promises to ease Oracle and SQL Server migrations

PostgreSQL, the popular open source relational database, is getting support for MERGE statements, a move which is intended to make migration from SQL Server and Oracle-based systems easier. With the release candidate for PostgreSQL 15 published on Friday and general availability expected on 13 October, the upgrade promises a …

[Charlie Clark]

Age doesn't matter, stability does

Although a database more than 30 years old, PostgreSQL has enjoyed a lot of growth in the last few years…

None of the dominant databases are young. They're dependent upon maths done in the 1960s that demonstrated the superiority of the relational model in nearly all situations. Get that, integrity and security right and the rest is gravy.

Would you trust your company's data to some start-up's database without a 30 year old track record?

[Pascal Monett]

Re: Age doesn't matter, stability does

Well, given the amount of large companies that are transferring their business-critical data to The Cloud^TM, I think the answer is yes.

[devin3782]

I've got to say having used PostgreSQL for a while now, since v10, I've never looked back it's datetime/timezone handling is simply the most sane implementation I've ever seen handling absolute time is a cinch as a result. I've also made use the json columns which I've found very handy for storing user settings where it simply doesn't make sense to store those in a separate table.

[werdsmith]

PostGIS also is excellent. Jokes aside.

[VoiceOfTruth]

I'm always pleased when PostgreSQL gets some coverage

I don't want to get into a MySQL vs PostgreSQL debate as I've used both. MySQL was always easier to replicate - a doddle actually. PostgreSQL on its own merit is a top notch reliable database - that is my experience of >20 years using it.

I wonder if the *reason* why MySQL has so much exposure is because WordPress is tied to it (I know there are unofficial workarounds). The most used blog/CMS needs a database and if the officially supported database is MySQL it's only natural it gets more exposure.

[A Non e-mouse]

Re: I'm always pleased when PostgreSQL gets some coverage

If memory serves, MySql had Windows installers long before Postgres - which may have helped with early developer adoption.

[Charlie Clark]

Re: I'm always pleased when PostgreSQL gets some coverage

Yes, for a while you had to use Cygwin to use Postgres on Windows.

[Michael]

Re: I'm always pleased when PostgreSQL gets some coverage

LAMP stack was hugely popular especially as so many content management systems relied on it. End of the 90s early 00s it was the stack you used in open source webservers.

[Charlie Clark]

Re: I'm always pleased when PostgreSQL gets some coverage

MySQL was used in WordPress because it was already popular with the LAMP / WAMP crowd.

Unfortunately, this brought several implementation deficiencies together: no referential integrity in MyASM tables and a shitty model for DB drivers in PHP. These went on to create a set of awful programming patterns that can still be seen in things like WordPress: no connection pooling or use of cursors, no parameter quoting, avoiding joins because of the lack of indicees, integrity checks in the application, etc.

Ever more memory and ever faster hardware partially concealed these shortcomings but a generation of programmers grew up thinking this was the way to do this.

[werdsmith]

Re: I'm always pleased when PostgreSQL gets some coverage

Clarify “use of cursors” ?

[Anonymous Coward]

Well..

Although a database more than 30 years old, PostgreSQL has enjoyed a lot of growth in the last few years…

I suspect the number of people unwilling to sponsor Larry Ellison's next island efforts is growing at quite a clip, and current economic circumstances can only accelerate that trend.

Unless you absolutely have to, why make yourself hostage to incremental license fees (and associated risks of getting it wrong, which naturally invites profitable overpayment on top) that seem to change with the prevaling weather conditions?

[A Non e-mouse]

Re: Well..

The problem isn't the core Oracle RDMS: It's the whole ecosystem that's built up & tied to it.