Here is a decent article comparing different db implementations.
http://troels.arvin.dk/db/rdbms/
It doesn't include firebird, but does include DB2 and informix. Some of
the deficiencies of Postges addressed will be rectified in the upcoming
8.4 release.
In my opinion the best two databases out there to develop on are
Postgres and Oracle. Oracle has the richest feature set of any database,
but Postgres is easier to work with. Take arrays for instance. Oracle
has 3 different implementations of arrays (varrays, nested tables &
assoc arrays) Postgres only has 1 array type. But using Oracle arrays is
so complicated I hardly ever use them while Postgres' arrays are dead
easy and extremely powerful.
I think the biggest weakness of Postgres is advocacy and integration. We
have current versions of popular distributions shipping with ancient
versions of Postgres. Or try finding a web host that runs the current
version of Postgres. The other day I was going to do a small project in
Ruby and Postgres and I spent a couple hours trying to get Ruby talking
to Postgres on Windows. It's going to be impossible for Postgres to
compete with MySQL while this continues.
Artacus
> Hi
>
> (I have posted this question to pg_advocacy as well, but I want to get
> an answer or a discussion from this group as well, separate from the
> advocacy group and background)
>
> I am researching an advocation paper on Postgres. Basically I would like
> to make a list of the most important strengths and weaknesses of
> Postgres compared to a couple of other major databases.
>
> The aim is to have a factual tehcnical background for when advocating
> Postgres to potential users.
>
> Specifically I would like to compare:
>
> - PG
> - MySql
> - Oracle
> - MS SQL server
> - Firebird
>
> the facts I am looking for is about the core functionality and use
> application aspects.
>
> while thae answers I am looking for is for example whether
> - one db more or less suited for GIS or warehouse etc
> - one db is not well suited for performance operations
> - if there are types of operations a database is not good at,
> or conversely, is extremely good at.
>
> I know this is pretty vague, but just focus on what weakenesses and
> strengths the different db's has, compared to each other.
> And I will try to ask the right questions based on that.
>
> regards
>
> thomas
>