Why doesn't Quora use PostgreSQL
quora.com
Why doesn't Quora use PostgreSQL
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Re: Why doesn't Quora use PostgreSQL
#2error 500. maybe its unrelated to them not using postgresql.
Re: Why doesn't Quora use PostgreSQL
#3error 500. maybe its unrelated to them not using postgresql.
here's the correct link: http://www.quora.com/Why-doesnt-Quora-use-PostgreSQL
HN must have stripped out the ' from the link when I submitted it
Re: Why doesn't Quora use PostgreSQL
#4error 500. maybe its unrelated to them not using postgresql.
here's the correct link: http://www.quora.com/Why-doesnt-Quora-use-PostgreSQL HN must have stripped out the ' from the link when I submitted it
grrrrr. apparently HN always strips single-quotes from links. There should be single-quote in the link in doesn't.
Here's a bit.ly link :-( http://bit.ly/9iQWn8
Re: Why doesn't Quora use PostgreSQL
#5Earlier quoted context omitted.
here's the correct link: http://www.quora.com/Why-doesnt-Quora-use-PostgreSQL HN must have stripped out the ' from the link when I submitted it
grrrrr. apparently HN always strips single-quotes from links. There should be single-quote in the link in doesn't. Here's a bit.ly link :-( http://bit.ly/9iQWn8
You could always URL encode it: http://www.quora.com/Why-doesn%27t-Quora-use-PostgreSQL
That way everyone clicking on the link from the home page doesn't get taken to the 500 page.
Re: Why doesn't Quora use PostgreSQL
#6This is a common mistake people make, I think. Just because an ecosystem is smaller does not mean it is inferior (or less practical). In fact, the opposite is routinely true.
Is it harder to find tutorials for PostgreSQL? Yeah, maybe. Is it harder to get high-quality advice and resources from subject matter experts? No; in fact, it's far easier. I have used PostgreSQL for many years and in all of them every question I've had has been answered quickly and properly by somebody in #postgres who knows way more about postgres and SQL than I'd ever even want to know.
And what about hires? When a million people "know" MySQL it takes a lot more effort to find somebody who actually does. There may be fewer contractors for PostgreSQL but they are practically by definition better than the average MySQL contractor.
unlike learning a programming language, with databases, the domain knowledge is harder to discover and more risky if you don't understand it
Exactly. So should you trust the ecosystem that relies on lazy, bandwagon developers for the majority of its market share, or the one that has been silently doing shit the right way for years? There may be a whole lot of really skilled MySQL admins out there (I guess there must be given how many huge sites go to extreme lengths to make MySQL work for them), but I can find you a handful of grossly overqualified PostgreSQL admins in no time. The same can't be said for the former.
Re: Why doesn't Quora use PostgreSQL
#7That's why database abstraction is so nice. If I ever get sick of MySQL - or say, decided I didn't want to use Postgres - it's not hard to switch!
Re: Why doesn't Quora use PostgreSQL
#8This is a common mistake people make, I think. Just because an ecosystem is smaller does not mean it is inferior (or less practical). In fact, the opposite is routinely true. Is it harder to find tutorials for PostgreSQL? Yeah, maybe. Is it harder to get high-quality advice and resources from subject matter experts? No; in fact, it's far easier. I have used PostgreSQL for many years and in all of them every question…
Seconding #postgres as awesomely smart and helpful. Especially RhodiumToad, who always seems to be in there.
Re: Why doesn't Quora use PostgreSQL
#9A few bugs/limitations of Mysql not shared by Postgres. All AFAIK.
* Integer columns with null constraints will silently translate nulls to 0s, rather than throwing an error (as constraints in all other contexts do). Imagine a database which, on violation of a foreign key constraint, just silently picked the first row in the target table - it's just insane.
* Transactions can't roll back schema changes, so if you have a Rails migration which fails on the application of a unique index in the midst of other operations, too bad. Your DB is stuck in the no-mans-land between migrations.
* Constraints are anemic relative to postgres: no integer range or string length constraints, no whitelist, blacklist, regex match, &c. &c.
There are certainly others I've run into, but the above indicate to me that the Postgres developers are working with/delivering a better code-base.
Re: Why doesn't Quora use PostgreSQL
#10This is a common mistake people make, I think. Just because an ecosystem is smaller does not mean it is inferior (or less practical). In fact, the opposite is routinely true. Is it harder to find tutorials for PostgreSQL? Yeah, maybe. Is it harder to get high-quality advice and resources from subject matter experts? No; in fact, it's far easier. I have used PostgreSQL for many years and in all of them every question…
Seconding #postgres as awesomely smart and helpful. Especially RhodiumToad, who always seems to be in there.
Oh man, RhodiumToad on #postgres totally saved my ass a couple of times like 2 years ago. Good times.