Which RDBMS To Study
 

I'm re-considering my plans to become extremely proficient with Oracle Database software simply due to the fact that I hate Oracle and I just don't have fun using it like I do any other vendor. I've focused so much lately on understanding how Oracle does things, it has made me miss PostgreSQL which made me fall in love with database systems. PostgreSQL is simple to install, understand, support, and configure.

The only reason I wanted to learn Oracle was so I can make a career out of being a DBA (currently a Linux S.A.) & Oracle being one of the leading industry RDBMS. PostgreSQL is not hugely popular in the large corporate world but I think it holds its place well and I love using it. Do you guys think it's a bad decision to not focus on Oracle over PostgreSQL for the long term scheme of things?

You probably want to pay the most attention to the one where the work is not physically taxing and they give you money for, eh?

I'm with you: I won't allow Oracle on the property.

Now, depending upon the industry, you might want to look at Informix (big in transaction processing -- like, say, NASDAQ, WalMart, banking, finance). Informix is sort of the granddaddy of PostgreSQL (the C API, used to be called ESQL/C, for Extended SQL for C, was developed by Informix and is included with PostgreSQL under a slightly different name). If you like PostgreSQL, you'll love Informix.

MySQL? Well, Oracle owns it, lord knows what's going to happen to it (Larry Ellison just doesn't believe in giving something away that he can charge for, eh?). Not bad, kinda primitive in some ways but getting there.

There's DB2 if you're stuck in an IBM shop (and heaven help with that peculiar product; oh, yeah, IBM owns Informix nowadays and they're doing a good job supporting and enhancing it).

Ain't much else worth a hoot for big-time shops but there are some nice little "lite" offerings.

And, heaven help you, stay the hell away from any crap from Microsoft -- affectionately know as Squeal because of the way it makes processors howl whey you ask it to actually, you know, do something?

Hope this helps some.

Hi,

my 2 cents.
At today, in the big companies mainly you will find ORACLE, to follow IBM DB2 and MS Sql server. So, if you want to study for a DBA career than maybe you should look for these RDBMS.

Instead if for you the "job issue" is not the first reason for a choice, well i agree with you for PostgreSQL.