Sun Purchasing MySQL and PostgreSQL advances

MySQL and Sun?

We just read that Sun is purchasing MySQL for a little under a billion. We are a little shocked and not quite sure what to make of it or how this affects Sun's investment in PostgreSQL. Further comments on the deal on Jignesh Shah's blog and Josh Berkus blogs. Jignesh and Josh both work at Sun and do PostgreSQL work as well.

Couple of random thoughts

• First, better Sun than Oracle. The thought of Oracle eating up MySQL has always been rather disturbing to us especially since we do a fair amount of MySQL consulting and don't care much for Oracle as a company. I suppose it could still happen.
• Given the fact that Sun is a large contributor to the PostgreSQL project, does this mean PostgreSQL fans can't make fun of MySQL anymore? Are we like friends now? This could take away some fun and add a little fun at the same time.
• Will this mean MySQL will have no qualms of using PostgreSQL underlying storage engine and what would it be called? - MyPost

Overall we think the move should prove positive for both camps.

PostgreSQL 8.3 really around the corner

8.3 is now on release candidate 8.3 RC1 and as Bruce Momjian noted, it looks like there might be an RC2.

We've been playing around with the 8.3 betas and RCs and really like the integrated Full Text Indexing and XML features. The new features make it possible to do a quickie REST service-based application. In the next issue of this journal, we hope to demonstrate creating REST services using 8.3 with server side - (PHP and/or ASP.NET) and front-end Adobe FLEX. We would have liked to demonstrate SilverLight/MoonLight as well, but we want to wait till Silverlight 2.0 hits release. We'll try to use the Pagila demo database for the upcoming demo app as Robert Treat has suggested.