| Subject | Re: [Firebird-general] Why is more hosting available for Mysql and Postgresql... |
|---|---|
| Author | Helen Borrie |
| Post date | 2008-03-03T21:51:08Z |
At 06:08 AM 4/03/2008, you wrote:
Lack of database-level user authentication probably plays a significant part. The hosting service can't give you SYSDBA privileges because it makes your neighbours' databases available to you. Without SYSDBA privileges there are some essential housekeeping tasks you can't do yourself.
Even if the hosting provider has staff with the know-how to do the housekeeping for you, it means that the hosting provider has "god" access to everyone's databases. Possibly some providers don't want to expose themselves to the legal risks; or believe (with some justification) that such a deal would be hard to sell. Better things are coming in Firebird 3 to address that problem.
Above all, though, is lack of administration expertise out there. There's no administrator's manual or certification process available. Slowly as the wheels grind, the FF committee is currently trying to convene a group to develop some rules and policy for a Firebird certification process. It's clearly going to need input and participation from firms that are already providing training services. It's proving difficult to pin such people down and get their commitment to the task. As always, it gets down to time and resources.
Above all is simply lack of public recognition in most of the ways that count out there in the field. For example, I've just installed Mandriva 2008 on a new HDD: how pleasing to get Firebird 2.0.3 via the urpmi! Yet, even after all these years, the package description that pops up when you query urpmi is "Fork of Interbase". Ooops! Interbase==Borland==stuffed, not exactly a selling point for us.
Helen
>Why do so few web hosting companies provide Firebird as a database option, but most provide Mysql (or Postgresql) as an option?MySQL in the form that it's offered by most providers is "enough" when all that's wanted is a data store that can throw data at a web page. "Enough" is plenty for most providers. For those who want to provide "more", PG is already there on the distro CD. This is an industry entrenched in a culture of "acceptable downtime" so Firebird's benefits don't do much for them. Commercial service providers have more incentive to stick with the "known" than to explore this new thing that's only been around for 5 years. Firebird is "boutique" - you can get it if you're looking for it but it'll cost you more than supermarket.
Lack of database-level user authentication probably plays a significant part. The hosting service can't give you SYSDBA privileges because it makes your neighbours' databases available to you. Without SYSDBA privileges there are some essential housekeeping tasks you can't do yourself.
Even if the hosting provider has staff with the know-how to do the housekeeping for you, it means that the hosting provider has "god" access to everyone's databases. Possibly some providers don't want to expose themselves to the legal risks; or believe (with some justification) that such a deal would be hard to sell. Better things are coming in Firebird 3 to address that problem.
Above all, though, is lack of administration expertise out there. There's no administrator's manual or certification process available. Slowly as the wheels grind, the FF committee is currently trying to convene a group to develop some rules and policy for a Firebird certification process. It's clearly going to need input and participation from firms that are already providing training services. It's proving difficult to pin such people down and get their commitment to the task. As always, it gets down to time and resources.
Above all is simply lack of public recognition in most of the ways that count out there in the field. For example, I've just installed Mandriva 2008 on a new HDD: how pleasing to get Firebird 2.0.3 via the urpmi! Yet, even after all these years, the package description that pops up when you query urpmi is "Fork of Interbase". Ooops! Interbase==Borland==stuffed, not exactly a selling point for us.
Helen