Foreign keys / Transactions in MySQL.. WTF?

[Nic Gibson]

On 31/07/07, Aaron Trevena <aaron.trevena at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 31/07/07, ti at lemonia.org <ti at lemonia.org> wrote:
> > > How did MySQL get so popular when it still seems to be missing key
> > > features?
> > >
> > > tjc
> >
> > Do things like "command-line SQL tool with history that understands your
> > terminal width", "GUI tool that starts in less than tree minutes",
> > "reliable export/import tool", and "readily configured full text search"
> > count as "key features"?
>
> Also
> - built in replication and transaction logging.

What do you mean by transaction logging? Any relational DB has transaction logs.

OK, I can't really disagree about the replication although I'm forced
to wonder exactly how reliable it will be given that replication
really should have a solid model for relational integrity underlying
it.


> - doesn't need to vacuum tables regularly, killing performance.

I find that autovacuum is *nearly* good enough and vacuum can be scheduled.
Oh, and I don't see anything better on reclaiming 'old' space in mysql.

> - easy and clear authentication and authorisation (done and
> documented) in one place.

Hmm. We've agreed to disagree on the steaming pile of cack that mysql
calls authentication before, haven't we? GRANT/REVOKE work pretty well
the same on every other engine. Network level access is and should be
a different thing (imho).

> - DWIMery instead of pedantry.
>
> I've used Oracle, Postgres, SQL Server and MySQL, and still find it
> quicker and easier to  use MySQL, and still haven't been bitten by it
> in more than 8 years.

Hmmm. Let me think. Yup. I've been using mysql on and off since early
98. I've always expected it to act like a database and I've always
been bitten when it doesn't.

>
> It's not *that* bad, just accept it for what it is, a slightly quirky
> and overfriendly lightweight rdbms-type-thing.

Now we're close to agreement. If what you want is a fast storage
mechanism with an SQL-ish model for accessing that data then mysql
isn't a terrible choice.

However, MySQL AB keep trying to sell it as an enterprise level RDMS
and it ain't.

nic
-- 
Nic Gibson
Director, Corbas Consulting Ltd
Editorial and Technical Consultancy
http://www.corbas.co.uk/