OT - Sun to acquire MySQL

[surferb]

Does anybody here care? I do! I think open source software is awesome and hope that it has a growing place in the "Industrial World".

I wouldn't say this has much to do with PLCs directly, but it does have to with Enterprise Integration. I read about this on slashdot and commented about it in my blog.

 

[S7Guy]

I like open source software too, but in this case I guess I "don't care". I started out using MySQL, but now that Microsoft let's me use SQLServer Express for free (even on customer sites), why would I use MySQL? This is an honest question.

 

[surferb]

Because SQL Server Express has a 4 gig data limitation and others, I think (CPUs, maybe RAM, etc). I'm not sure if there are separate "free versions" with MSDE or whatever. Also SQL Server Express is annoying with features like requiring the Windows based named pipe connections instead of the regular TCP ports. That said, SQL Server 2005 is a great product that's come a long ways since 2000. I'd say (IMO price aside) in general it's probably a (marginally) better package than MySQL. I'm sure each platforms has specific tasks that it excels at. And things like clustering that they both suck at.

I'm hoping that Sun can give MySQL the push it needs to kick the heck out of MS.

I think there's lots of reasons you might choose MySQL over MS SQL Server! For example, not needing to run on Windows. MySQL has a strong track record with huge databases on the Internet.

I like open source software too, but in this case I guess I "don't care". I started out using MySQL, but now that Microsoft let's me use SQLServer Express for free (even on customer sites), why would I use MySQL? This is an honest question.

 

[S7Guy]

Ok, that's cool. I will never hit the 4 gig limit in all likelyhood, and I will never run anything but Windows, so SQL Express does fine. I still use MySQL for some things though, like importing data blocks and creating tag files and groups for your software. It doesn't hurt to keep on top of it in case I need it some day.