Re: How far Open Source has come...

[Abigail-II]

It depends, see my other posts. In some cases, open source software is as good, or better than non-open source software. Example: Apache. In some cases, open source software isn't as good, for instance, MySQL vs Oracle. And in some cases, there's little open source software available: enterprise backup solutions for instance.

If I pick an ISP or provider of some other service, I'm more interested in the quality of their service, than whether they happen to use open source software or not.

Abigail

[Jenda]

I think comparing MySQL to Oracle is like comaring a pick-up with a truck. They are too different for such comparison to have any meaning without explaining the circumstances.

Jenda
Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live.
   -- Rick Osborne

Edit by castaway: Closed small tag in signature

[Abigail-II]

Well, there isn't an open source product that comes close to what Oracle provides. Which is exactly what I meant.

Abigail

[adrianh]

True.

However, many Oracle users don't need what Oracle provides. Of the last four Oracle projects I worked on only one actually needed stuff unique to Oracle (good replication/scaling in this particular instance). The other three could have been done in PostgreSQL equally easily. One of them could even have been done in a non-innodb MySQL since it was just being used as a data-store.

It's going to be interesting to see if Oracle can manage to keep a hold of its low end market in the years to come.