

Frequently Asked Questions; or "good questions", rather.


Keep 'em coming, honeybunnies! :)


1. Why don't you use "PostgreSQL"?
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Mainly, I started out with MySQL.

I took pains to install postgresql v7.0.2 and browse through
the various manuals, and found out the following:

- Changing to postgresql would mean to alter almost every single 
  file in the PIMPPA code. 
- Mostly the changes would be "mechanic", e.g. just manual labour
- Postgresql provides more of the SQL standard features than MySQL
  does, like foreign keys, constraints and subselects. Good!
- Coding for MySQL seems a bit more straightforward and simple
- There's no bitwise operators (AND,OR,XOR) in postgresql. I would
  have to convert the current integer flag fields to several
  boolean fields. Users would have to do alter tables on every
  upgrade that I come up with some new flag.

So, though postgresql is less proprietary than mysql, I don't
see the change of engine worth all that work. Perhaps I wish I 
would have started pimppa with another db manager, but its been
ages already.

If things ever get uncomfortable on MySQL side, I can always
reconsider. Meanwhile, PIMPPA is GPL'd software, anyone can 
take it and turn it into a postgresql version -- or whatever.
I don't see gain in the splitting though, I'll gladly take on
developing a postgresql version, if somebody takes it to the 
similar usability stage that pimppa is on now with mysql.



