SQL Questions (MySQL or PostgreSQL?)

[Peter Risdon]

On Fri, 2005-02-11 at 17:17 -0500, Sean wrote:

> 
> What is the difference between PostgreSQL and MySQL?
>  From what I see MySQL seems to be more common.

They are completely separate projects. Postgresql grew out of an
academic project (ingres), mysql was developed by a commercial
organisation because of limitations and license issues with another sql
database system (MiniSQL) that isn't in much use now.

Mysql was developed for speed rather than features. And it is fast. It's
catching up on the feature front but Postgresql is a more complete
implementation of sql and is usually considered to be an upgrade from
mysql. For example, the excellent web-based accountancy system
SQL-Ledger uses postgresql at least in part because of its earlier
implementation of transactions - vital for an accounts package. 

However, mysql is at the heart of all the LAMP (Linux, Apache, Mysql,
PHP) and WAMP (Windows, etc) projects that are around nowadays. Mysql is
a very good place to start. Less of a learning curve than Postgresql
(IMHO), better documentation (online at least) and more widely used.

Postgresql is an excellent dbms and well worth a look. But if you're
starting out, I think mysql is the place to be.

Peter.