From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Feb 11 18:21:39 2005 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A18D916A4CE for ; Fri, 11 Feb 2005 18:21:39 +0000 (GMT) Received: from smtpauth03.mail.atl.earthlink.net (smtpauth03.mail.atl.earthlink.net [209.86.89.63]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4AE1343D48 for ; Fri, 11 Feb 2005 18:21:39 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from algould@datawok.com) Received: from [206.255.31.21] (helo=[192.168.63.10]) by smtpauth03.mail.atl.earthlink.net with asmtp (TLSv1:RC4-MD5:128) (Exim 4.34) id 1CzfQA-0002VI-Un; Fri, 11 Feb 2005 13:21:39 -0500 From: "Andrew L. Gould" To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 12:22:07 -0600 User-Agent: KMail/1.6.2 References: <20050211164603.43213.qmail@web50310.mail.yahoo.com> In-Reply-To: <20050211164603.43213.qmail@web50310.mail.yahoo.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Disposition: inline Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Message-Id: <200502111222.07089.algould@datawok.com> X-ELNK-Trace: ee791d459e3d6817d780f4a490ca69563f9fea00a6dd62bc04dac1f449381944187506f78b4ce488350badd9bab72f9c350badd9bab72f9c350badd9bab72f9c X-Originating-IP: 206.255.31.21 cc: "Jorge Mario G." Subject: Re: (mySQL) benchmarks strike back X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 18:21:39 -0000 On Friday 11 February 2005 10:46 am, Jorge Mario G. wrote: > Hi there > > I just read > http://software.newsforge.com/software/04/12/27/1243207.shtml?tid=72& >tid=29%20result and as in any onther benchmark there is a lot stuff > that > can be arguable. I would like to know why is that > happening? > the problem is that "we" are pushing > FreeBSD/postgreSQL as a database solution, and I am > the guy to blame to, because I was the one who did > advocacy for FreeBSD, so I'm sure my boss is going to > ask me. And you told us to use FreeBSD instead of > Linux? > and I do not want to answer him "beastie is way more > cool" > > I'm doing my own research but some help from here > would be nice!!! > > > Jorge Mario Mazo > Interesting article; but how does it relate to the real world. I'm not saying that the benchmarks aren't valid. Perhaps Linux has gained advantages in performance over FreeBSD -- I don't know, I'm not qualified to say. Regardless, benchmark test results should not be the only criteria for selecting an operating system. Be wary of anyone who tells you otherwise. 1. YMMV (Your mileage may vary.) I've seen benchmarks that favor Linux before; but when I've tested Linux using complex queries with large databases, the system slowed much more noticeably than with FreeBSD. This is based upon my perceptions rather than benchmarks; but it reflects the system's effect upon my productivity, which is very real. Linux may have improved since then; but it demonstrates that benchmark tests do not always reflect what happens outside of the laboratory. You should run comparisons using activities that reflect your computing needs. 2. Security -- See the link below. (beware of wordwrap) http://www.mi2g.com/cgi/mi2g/frameset.php?pageid=http%3A//www.mi2g.com/cgi/mi2g/press/021104.php 3. Usability -- FreeBSD differs from Linux in many ways. For me, the file system hierarchy and the way the operating system works makes more sense to me. FreeBSD was easier for me to learn and to use. 4. The Linux distro used was Gentoo, which promotes system optimizations. For example: Whereas most distributions install a generic kernel, the Gentoo installation defaults to compiling a new kernel that is customized to the hardware. Did the testers perform similar steps with other operating systems? Also, opinions as to whether Gentoo is suitable for a production server are polarized. Linux gamers tend to say "yes". More conservative users often say, "no". Running the benchmarks using SUSE Professional, Slackware or Debian (or others) would have provided more comfort to business users. 5. Is MySQL different from PostgreSQL in ways that should affect the relevance of the benchmark tests to your situation? (See item #1.) Best of luck, Andrew Gould