September 21, 2007

Biting the Bullet

I just started
http://mysql-code.com/wp/ as my own version of http://ora-code.com

Why? well simply, when my server apps send off oracle error emails to the IT guys, I automatically format it with a link to ora-code.com so that they can get some info about the error code. Politics aside, it helped the junior DBAs and IT guys to better understand the problem and fix the errors faster.
Instead of hours, it took moments because they could just click on a link and it told them everything they needed to know about the problem.

Now I have a site for my MySQL server project. Now I can send them auto-formated error emails with links to that site - and if I don't have a page set up - I'll add it.

It should be educational for me.

Posted by Jason at 07:56 PM | Comments (0)

September 11, 2007

Please stop telling me that MySQL is free

Do you see this?

https://shop.mysql.com/enterprise/?rz=s2

To me, in the high availability and high demand environment that I work in, that single server license costs $5k

That's for ONE server. Sure it's not the wonky per-cpu model of Oracle, but it's still a cost. I'll probably need several on the project I'm working on so it's not just a one time fee - it's yearly. Combine that with the new hardware costs and the hiring of new DBA staff with MySQL experience to shadow our Oracle DBAs (or retraining) - MySQL is not fracking free! It's downright expensive.

I am soooo tired of people telling me that MySQL is cheaper than Oracle. Just because there's a free version for everyone to play with, that doesn't mean that your going to run the free version in a production environment.

I can already hear the whining "But you don't have to pay for it, it's open source man - it's like free love and stuff"
PUT DOWN THE WEED AND LISTEN. YES I FRACKING DO HAVE TO PAY FOR IT YOU FRACKING HIPPIE!

The free version doesn't come with support. You get what you pay for. We live and work in a capitalist marketplace where if you like something, you buy it to encourage the production of similar products. It's sometimes called voting with your wallet.
If the fecal matter hits the spinning blades of doom - I want someone on the phone ASAP. I've got somewhere over 1k employees using my software to provide support to some 9 million customers. Downtime is NOT an option. There is no way in hell I'm going to tell them - "Ooops, sorry, my bad - I got the free version and even if I buy it now, it will take a few buisness days before support starts."
Yea, that's a big I don't think so. I'd like to avoid being skinned alive if I can help it.

I just needed to vent.

Posted by Jason at 07:32 PM | Comments (0)