[thelist] probably simple SQL question

.jeff jeff at members.evolt.org
Sat Jan 19 01:06:36 CST 2002


andrew,

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> From: Andrew Clover
>
> > If this wasn't such a small project I'd consider a
> > more robust database.
>
> For most non-critical web applications it's not
> massively important to enforce complete consistency
> using transactions, but I'd consider using a more robust
> database anyway.
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agreed.  there are *many* projects that can get away without support for
transactions depending on your database architecture.  however, i would say
that as soon as you get into a project with e-commerce, you damn well better
have the ability to wrap an entire bit of logic up as a single transaction.

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
> Access is a desktop database, and Jet is not a 'real'
> database server as such. In practice I have had
> unexplained hangs in accessing MDBs through ODBC even
> with test-phase websites under no significant load.
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in contrast, the first version of evolt.org used access with no worries at
all (except for the couple of times we were slashdotted).

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> When you can get a proper database server with
> transactions and everything for free (eg. MySQL/InnoDB
> for Windows) [...]
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if you're lucky enough to be on a host that has the latest version (4.0)
installed.  if not, then you don't have the fail-safe of transactions.

http://www.mysql.com/products/mysql-4.0/index.html

imo, there are other *much* bigger obstacles in the way of using mysql in an
enterprise application.  it doesn't yet support nested subqueries, foreign
key integrity rules, or even stored procedures which are all staples in a
performance minded application developer's toolbox.  it's claimed these
things will be in v4.1, but who knows how long before that's released.
mysql v4.0 was released over 3 months ago, but only in available in an alpha
release.  who knows how long until the kinks are ironed out and it's labeled
a "stable release" and there's still no hint of v4.1 yet.

at least access has all of these features already.  ;p

just my 2c,

.jeff

http://evolt.org/
jeff at members.evolt.org
http://members.evolt.org/jeff/






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