Foreign keys / Transactions in MySQL.. WTF?

[Aaron Trevena]

Hello Nic,

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

action log then, underlying mysql's replication is a log of everything
done on the master node, allowing you to synch manually (with some
very big caveats) from a given time. No idea what postgres does, but
judging from the hideous mess that is postgres replications, I guess
it doesn't provide much usable for such purposes.

> 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.

As it happens I've worked with postgres databases with near 0
relational integrity, and some reasonable robust mysql, of course I've
also worked with a clever DBA and a finely honed postgres database
recently *grin*.

> > - 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).

Yah boo sucks. I bite my thumb at thee!

> > - 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.

Don't do that then ;)

> > 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.

/me mumbles about postgres advocates selling postgres as anything
other than a nasty beastie with sharp pointy teeth, not entirely
disimilar to that rabbit we all know about.

A.

-- 
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