Why choose PostreSQL and not MySQL or Oracle!!

Yeah - what kinda comparing..

Oracle isn't free  -  I know that.. PostreSQL has for me always been
something that was just there when starting up a linux-server! I've
never heard anything good about it.

I've asked on the Experts-exchange.com why I should use Oracle - and
nothing seemes to pull me over there.. All their reasons given:

"1. For application developers:

   (1) Oracle supports stored programs such as stored procedurs,
triggers, packages,...
This feature enables you to centralize your application logic in the
database regardless whatever clients are.
You can also get better performance,managability, as well as integrity.
   (2) Oracle SQL and functions are powerful.
Oracle provides powerfule functions and subqueries in its SQL statements.
This feature saves much cost for developing complex queries.
   (3) Oracle supports distributed databases.
You can develop distributed systems by database links, materialized
views, and distributed queries.
If your application creates distributed transactions, Oracle handles
two-phase commit for you automatically.
This feature saves much cost for developing distributed systems and the
applications get lower complexcity.
   (4) Oracle supports partitioned tables/indexes.
This feature is important for developing Datawarehousing/DSS systems.
The disk I/O workload can be well balanced and thus get better
performance/recoveribility.
   (5) Oracle provides many build-in utilities for developers,
such as File I/O , TCP , SMTP , HTTP, Dynamic SQL, Job scheduling ...
For example, you can send e-mail in a stored procedure by calling the
UTL_SMTP package.
These build-in utilities can save much development cost.
   (6) Oracle supports Java in the databse.
Java is a popular language, and you can get many external
resources/libraries for your application.
In fact, the SMTP, HTTP, TCP build-in utilities are implemented by Java.
   (7) Oracle database is well integrated with its middle tier(iAS) and
developer products.


2. For DBAs:

   (1) In addition to full backup, Oracle supports many other backup
options.
These advanced backup options do not require database shutdown for
backup operations.
This feature is important for 24*7 systems.
   (2) For a well managed database,in most cases, a disk crash do not
require databse shutdown for restore/recovery.
Only damaged tablespaces/datafiles are not available for the users.
The other parts of the database can be accessed normally.
This feature provides much higher availibility and is important for many
critical systems.
   (3) Oracle supports many advanced recovery options.
For example, by performing an incomlete recovery, you can recover your
database state preior to the
running of a batch job which causes an accidental mass error deletion of
customer records.
   (4) Oracle supports many performance tuning utilities and statistics,
which is useful
to locate the system bottlenecks and then tuning."


F.x. StoredProcedures - is that supported by PostgreSQL?
"And actually mySQL has transaction safe tables using the innoDB or BDB
table type" - does the PostreSQL support that too!??


I've seen all the awards at the web-site - but why doesn't we hear
anything about PostgreSQL - it's always MySQL (in the world of free
alternatives)... PostgreSQL - is it a slow database (compared to MySQL)?

What pros and cons are there choosing PostgreSQL (compared to MySQL)?


Please tell me
Preben Holm