"Chris Travers" <chris.trav...@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:CAKt_ZfvZfYq_VPYXG3p=fy=s1whcc0p9trxkczfrrsjsqms...@mail.gmail.com...



  On Fri, Aug 31, 2012 at 12:25 PM, Andy Yoder <ayo...@airfacts.com> wrote:

    Hello all,

    I would like the community's input on a topic.  The words "too far out of 
the mainstream" are from an e-mail we received from one of our clients, 
describing the concern our client's IT group has about our use of PostgreSQL in 
our shop.  The group in question supports multiple different databases, 
including Oracle, MySQL, SQLServer, DB2, and even some non-relational databases 
(think Cobol and file-based storage), each type with a variety of applications 
and support needs.  We are in the running for getting a large contract from 
them and need to address their question:  "What makes PostgreSQL no more risky 
than any other database?"


  It is hard to know what sort of risk they are worried about.  Is it technical 
risk of data loss?  Risk of a lack of support if the vendor goes out of 
business?  I think the first thing you need to do is get a good sense of what 
exactly they are worried about.  If you answer the wrong question you aren't 
doing yourself any favors. 


  The way I see it, this sort of comment is a useful way to open a 
conversation, but probably not the best one to just walk in with an answer to.  
You probably want to be prepared however by preparing a few different 
approaches:


  1)  While MySQL is perhaps better marketed, PostgreSQL is an older project 
with a proud heritage (Informix started as a Postgres fork), and top-rate 
development.  It has been the standard go-to database for complex business 
applications for a long time.   Also MySQL targets a very different approach 
than PostgreSQL and starts to break down fast when multiple apps share the same 
db because each app can set its own sql_mode settings and the dba has to live 
with the fact that each app gets to decide, for example, whether 0000-00-00 is 
a valid date for error checking purposes.


  2)  PostgreSQL is an exceptionally robust database, used in a significant 
number of heavy-duty applications (Afilias's use for the .org domain registry 
comes to mind).  It offers a top-notch feature set and the pace of development 
is high.  Additionally the team is exceptionally professional about change 
management.


  3)  PostgreSQL has always been built on the idea of multiple vendors offering 
top-notch support offerings.  Unlike MySQL there has never been an ability to 
just take over the project by buying the vendor.  This also means support will 
continue as long as there is demand for the support, which is a very different 
thing from single vendor software, where support will continue as long as the 
vendor finds it worthwhile to provide it.


  Best Wishes,
  Chris travers


Not to forget that Skype has used PostrgeSQL from the start...  Probably a very 
good case study to use that PG is mainstream enough.

Johan Nel
South Africa.

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