Databases... especially the 'BIG' ones.

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^rooker
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Databases... especially the 'BIG' ones.

Post by ^rooker »

Ok. I don't know about other people out there, but working with databases is not funny in most cases. They're usually bundled with a lot of administrational- and a lot of error-search work.

And if they're working properly? so what?
They don't make me as happy as they'd have to, compared to how many nerves they cost me when they don't function.


My basic 2 enemies when it comes to DBs are: MSSQL and Oracle...
While having to work with them, I can really feel the negative thoughts and motivations that drive their usage.


Here's one of my favorites:
have you ever downloaded any Oracle-DB from their website?

As a nice welcome, you get the default "you might be an unworthy, non-US citizen, dare to enter" stuff:
I am not a citizen, national or resident of, and am not under the control of, the government of: Cuba, Iran, Sudan, Libya, North Korea, Syria, nor any other country to which the United States has prohibited export.

I will not download or otherwise export or re-export the Programs, directly or indirectly, to the above mentioned countries nor to citizens, nationals or residents of those countries.

I am not listed on the United States Department of Treasury lists of Specially Designated Nationals, Specially Designated Terrorists, and Specially Designated Narcotic Traffickers, nor am I listed on the United States Department of Commerce Table of Denial Orders.

I will not download or otherwise export or re-export the Programs, directly or indirectly, to persons on the above mentioned lists.

I will not use the Programs for, and will not allow the Programs to be used for, any purposes prohibited by United States law, including, without limitation, for the development, design, manufacture or production of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons of mass destruction.
---------------------------------------------------
How come that I only see shit like that on U.S.-companies' sites? And especially on large ones?

yes, yes, I know - it IS due to <U.S.> laws and export restrictions, but how come that I have NEVER EVER encountered anything similar on European or other countries' sites?

This just adds to the pile of uncomfortable feelings I get when being forced to use products like that, or be depending on them. And one of the main motivations behind products like that IS to make customers dependants - forever.

you use a small feature of e.g. Oracle and you're stuck with it forever. Even better: sometimes the usage of a single, tiny-tiny feature requires not just an upgrade of the whole DBMS, but this forces you to upgrade you r OS as well as the computer that it's running on

Example: Oracle 10g XE.
Oracle Database 10g Express Edition (Oracle Database XE) is an entry-level, small-footprint (150MB) database
Hello? 150MB? small?? Not just that the RPM for linux is 198 MB, it tops this by issuing a nice message when daring to install the package - which goes something like this:
You need at least 256 MB of RAM, but you only have 249 MB - exiting.
great, huh? 256 MB!!! It doesn't even know ANYTHING about the data I'm about to handle - 256 Megs for a single table??


I could rant on about this forever, but I think it's enough for now.
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