Re: [Fwd: General Information] - Mailing list pgsql-advocacy

On Friday 04 April 2003 19:06, you wrote:
> Hi guys,
>
> I just received this email, but don't have the energy to look after it.
>
> Does anyone else feel like helping out James here?

I will try but sending it out to list so that answers can be reviewed. So
guys, please review it and forward it to OP if they are suitable.

>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: General Information
> Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2003 06:55:29 -0500
> From: "James Lewis" <jlewisc399@rogers.com>
> Reply-To: <jlewis@golden.net>
> To: <justin@postgresql.org>
>
> Justin,
>
> We are considering using PostgreSQL as the backbone for hosting a new
> application suite.
>
> The appeal is obvious but what about security of data?  What is the
> mechanism for securing the open source?  How do developers submit source
> and who QA's it ?

Only few developers have commit access to repository. They apply any patches
people send. This core group has been working on postgresql for a long time
and the membership of core group is awarded to only those who make
significant contribution.

No other person can alter the cvs repository.

As far as QA is concerned, any bugs reported by users are prioritised and
fixed as and when necessary. Those include all bugs ranging from
adding/modifying patches to fixing functionalities to adding new features.

> What is the performance and scalability like and has it been benched ?
> benched against other leading products such as MS, Progress, etc.
> Our initial thoughts are for an ASP modeled deployment with up to a
> thousand users per instantiated DB.

Database benchmark is a very thin ice to skate on. For that matter any other
benchmark. A most recommended method is to set up a testbed and run your test
yourselves. People here can help you to tune your database and application.

As far as references are concerned, there are plenty of installations with
data size around 10GB and few ranging more than 40 GB. I personally have
benchamrked it for a dataset of 40GB and found it to be with 90-95% of oracle
on a quad xeon machine.

You need to setup the hardware considering your database load like number of
concurrent users, size of data set and complexity of queries. That goes for
any database. But postgresql can surely handle this kind of concurrent load
given enough hardware resources.

> Is the license owned by a trust whatsoever and is there a possibility of it
> being sold or differently licensed?

It is a BSD licensed code. So a company can take the product, commercialize it
and sell it. However the real value comes from giving back to community
because you earn trust and reputation that is probably worth more than direct
business gains.

I don't know if it can be packaged under different license but I believe
should be possible. I recommend you study the license in detail. It is open
and whatever is put up, that is the effective license. There is no hide and
seek here.

> Would there be limitations or agreements required to accompany our product
> once developed and licensed for use by customers ?

You mean you develop an app. on top of postgresql and customer need to install
postgresql+your app.? In that case, they can just download the
binaries/sources and install/manage themselves or pay a consultant/company to
do that for them. There is no separate license required to use postgresql by
an independent ISV or their customers.

> What disadvantages should I consider ?

Well, outside a relatively small community, postgresql does not have halo of
it's commercial cousins. So selling it to management might be difficult
initially. Other than that it does not beat commercial big boys as yet. But
it is pretty close. And it does not have bloat associated with it.

That's all I can think of, right now..

HTH

 Shridhar