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GeekNights 20100524 - "NoSQL" Databases

AprecheApreche
edited May 2010 in GeekNights
Tonight on GeekNights we discuss the hot new trend of so-called NoSQL databases. In the news Google TV is coming, and Nero is standing up to the MPEG-LA.

Comments

  • csrjjsmpcsrjjsmp
    edited May 2010
    Sound cuts out at 12:02, 12:26, 13:07, and possibly more that I haven't listened to yet.
    Post edited by csrjjsmp on
  • WalkerWalker
    edited May 2010
    Sound cuts out at 12:02, 12:26, 13:07, and possibly more that I haven't listened to yet.
    I can't remember where, but Rym did mention that Scott fucked up his XLR cable.
    Post edited by Walker on
  • PeguPegu
    edited May 2010
    Sound cuts out at 12:02, 12:26, 13:07, and possibly more that I haven't listened to yet.
    I can't remember where, but Rym did mention that Scott fucked up his XLR cable.
    He also said that he would have a new one by now.
    Post edited by Pegu on
  • ChaseChase
    As a DBA, this show will be interesting (not that the others are not, lol). Will listen on the commute home and comment later.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    He also said that he would have a new one by now.
  • PeguPegu
    He also said that he would have a new one by now.
    That was my point. He never does anything he promises to.
  • bugmenotbugmenot
    Just listened to the podcast. One big reason to use Postgres over MySQL is that Postgres has way better support for GIS and spatial data. I just checked the MySQL 6.0 manual, and it still says that all the nice functions for comparing two geometries (crosses, intersects, contains, within, touches, overlaps) are implemented using minimum bounding rectangles (MBR).

    For example, you can get these nice shapefiles that contain polygons for each zip code in the US. MySQL will tell you that points near the borders are inside multiple zip codes because it just slaps rectangles around those polygons for comparison and calls it good. Or say you wanted to figure out how many of the plane crash coordinates in your DB occurred within the Bermuda Triangle? MySQL's search area is going to be 50% wrong. Postgres, on the other hand, is implemented the right way and can return the right results.

    Did I mention that to make these functions perform well, you need spatial indexes that are only available using the MyISAM engine?

    I ran into this a few years ago when MySQL seemed to be selectively ignoring my polygons. Fortunately, there's some hope on the horizon. Sometime recently, work began on making these functions more precise (why does MySQL's tracker lack datestamps?):

    http://forge.mysql.com/wiki/GIS_Functions

    And despite all that, I rather like working with MySQL.
  • AprecheApreche
    So there is one specific instance where postgres has a feature that MySQL doesn't have. I guess if I'm going to make an app like FourSquare or something that has lots of Geo data, I'll use postgres. That still doesn't explain why anyone should choose something other than MySQL for a small website that doesn't need to scale large, and doesn't do anything but serve up some content, maybe some comments, and other simple things.
  • AprecheApreche
    Also, here is an interesting addendum to the video discussion.

    http://www.osnews.com/story/23236/Why_Our_Civilization_s_Video_Art_and_Culture_is_Threatened_by_the_MPEG-LA
  • Dr. TimoDr. Timo
    Regarding the whole MPEG-LA brouhaha; listen to episode 14 of this (iTunes), for a thorough discussion by a real lawyer.
  • HelljumperHelljumper
    edited May 2010
    My only experience with databases are pointing my forum to the pre-installed mySQL databases that came with my server and using the Microsoft Database (forgot what it's called) when I took a Visual Basic class in High School.
    Post edited by Helljumper on
  • bugmenotbugmenot
    If you don't need scaling or features, you can pretty much use whatever (R)DBMS you want. I'd probably use whatever my hosting service provides, or I'd install MySQL since I've installed it before. Path of least resistance.

    SQLite is pretty awesome, but I feel like a file-based DB would be sub-optimal for a web site back end. Not that I've tried it.
  • AprecheApreche
    SQLite is pretty awesome, but I feel like a file-based DB would be sub-optimal for a web site back end. Not that I've tried it.
    Yeah, the SQLite guys will tell you not to. They say that SQLite doesn't compete with MySQL, it competes with fopen.
  • theknoxinatortheknoxinator
    Finally got around to listening to this one.

    It is a really big thing that's lacking in schools. I learned all of my DB skills using MySQL making websites, and then I had to use Postgres for an internship. The only database class they offered at my college was not only completely optional, but they used Access. *facepalm*
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