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+ - mysql vs. ms-sql dliemma-> 6

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rnmartinez
rnmartinez writes "As the Project Manager for a non-profit looking to implement a tech project, I am running into a few dilemma's and as a casual slashdotter I could really use some help. I'll start with a brief explanation of the project.

We research issues in Canadian Immigrants, and found that there was a lack of recent, unaggregated information. As we dug further, we found that some data was available, but there was no central repository. Therefore, we are building a web based service to collect this data, with the intent of having it display in google maps and then be downloadable as a csv file that is readable in GIS software such as ESRI Arcsoft, so that data may be visualized.

To date, we have relied on a lamp box with drupal as the front end to help provide a more social experience. However, it seems that MS SQL offers more functions with regards to geometry built in then MYSQL, and my devs (good guys, but MS guys at heart) want me to switch to .net NUKE/MsSQL and ditch the open source stuff. As a believer in open source and a non-profit, I am having some moral issues with this (I try and run linux and open source on everything I reasonably can).

So here is my dilemma: do I dump $20K into moving everything to an MS solution that in the short-medium term might make the geometry functions (i.e. show me all the hospitals within a 20km radius of this cluster of immigrants) or do I get him to spend the same amount writing something similar for MYSQL? The only issue there, is that I am not too fond of Oracle having ownership of MYSQL. Should I be directing $20K into replicating these functions into something like MariaDB? Might be a longshot but again, as a non-profit I'd like to see something go back to everyone, not just my group.

Really, I am open to any flexible, creative open and reliable solutions. Sorry if my knowledge is limited or if I am grasping at straws, and if I am being terribly biased, but I trust Oracle with opensource about as much as I trust MS."
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mysql vs. ms-sql dliemma More

mysql vs. ms-sql dliemma

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  • If your main desire is to find a tool that will show you items within a radius, why not use MySQL + Sphinx? Sphinx is an open source indexing tool. Basically, what you do is create a sphinx config file that tells it which fields you want to index on, and it creates a binary index of your mysql database that you can then query using its api. The benefits of this are that it's incredibly fast for full text searches (something MySQL is dreadful at), plus, it has a built-in radius function that will do exact
  • Try Postgresql ... it is both opensource and while completely free of Oracle's control it is more SQL compliant than MYSQL. And it does have good location functionality built in.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by eakerin (633954)

      You likely will want to install PostGIS http://postgis.refractions.net/ [refractions.net] as well. PostgreSQL can do simple geometry and distances and will get you by with some simple functions. PostGIS adds on the real GIS functions and calculations.

  • Using Ruby on Rails (fully open-source), Google maps, and a couple of open-source Ruby libraries, and MySQL I could do this for you in a couple of hours, tops. I know because I did it recently for another website. That took me somewhat longer, but now that I know what I'm doing, it's really a breeze.

    I'd give you my number and make you an offer myself, if this were not Slashdot and there were a private way to do so. Either you are being fed a line of BS, or these guys simply don't know what they are doing
    • Seriously, if I knew of a way to give you my email that would not spread it all over Slashdot, I'd make you an offer. I bet I could beat your team of guys, for time AND money, just by myself.

      Personally, I would get rid of the PHP and go with Rails, which is more modern and faster for development. I see the site also uses jquery (fine) . And you have a Wordpress blog, which is also find but blogs are pretty simple to do. My personal preference is to have a custom blog built into the site, so you don't hav
    • And by the way: you can use open-source MariaDB as a drop-in replacement for MySQL. It is written and maintained by some of the original developers of MySQL, who also didn't care to see MySQL go into Oracle's hands.

      Although it can be used as a direct replacement, it also has some improvements, including better performance.

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