[PLUG] Re: SMP big box vs. many small boxen for database / web server performance.

[Rich Shepard]

On Sat, 6 Nov 2004, Randall Lucas wrote:

> MySQL and PostgreSQL are nowadays pretty close to each other in
> performance, realistically speaking, and I hold it comes down to a choice
> of style.

Randall,

   Impugn away. My feelings won't be hurt. :-)

> Without impugning MySQL, I would suggest that the novice with a more
> leisurely pace, or with a larger-scale project before him choose
> PostgreSQL, while he who must write code to work *now*, damn the
> torpedoes, will probably find MySQL a quicker route (or SQLite, a newish
> delight in the low-end of the market).

   I've been building database applications since dBASE II on Kaypros running
CP/M. What I have seen over and over is the lack of understanding of how to
design and build a relational database, regardless of what DBMS one runs.
About 13 years ago I worked briefly doing some database work for a medical
research project. They were using R:base and had no idea how to normalize
data or run a relational database. So, it was all a humongeous flat file
(with more than 100 columns, IIRC).

   Anytime a patient had an additional bypass or other procedure a new column
was added. All tuples were empty but that one. Just for giggles, I redid the
entire database in Paradox/DOS and discovered several patient records were
duplicated (or triplicated). Different data in each copy, too. When I
pointed that out and mentioned that it just might screw up the statistics
drawn from the data we decided that I should not rock their boat any longer.

   So, I recommend that a novice get two books: one on database design and
normalization and the other a Joe Celko book on SQL. Only after reading both
should that novice be allowed to touch a dbms.

   The analogy I've used for years when folks tell me that they have a GIS
package installed so they can do spatial analyses is that teaching someone
how to use a word processor does not make her/him a writer. The difference
between knowing how to run a computer application and knowing when to run it
and how to set it up to produce useful answers is one of my pet peeves.

   And I do clean the peeves cage regularly and keep it well supplied with
fresh water and dolts for food.

Rich

-- 
Dr. Richard B. Shepard, President
Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. (TM)
<http://www.appl-ecosys.com>   Voice: 503-667-4517   Fax: 503-667-8863