For a long time they didn't have any. I recall from mid 90s version 4+? They were still trying to port.. or was it early 2000s lol either way it's ancient history
> I always used PostgreSQL even though most were on MySQL
That far back mysql and postgres were not even close to being a like-for-like comparison. One was a proper database, with things like referential integrity and a type system that didn't count the 31st of February to be a valid date, and the other was a glorified ndbm with some structure, a SQL interface, and was very very fast at running simple single-table SELECT statements.
Correct. I said it was not a valid comparison if talking about proper databases, not that mysql was irredeemably bad and no use to anyone back then.
There were though a lot of people who probably should have used a better DB but used mysql through knowing no better or nothing else being available on cheap shared hosts. Many got lucky and got by but more than a few ended up running into problems or spending time implementing things (complete with bugs for later joy) in their BLL that really belong in the data layer. Similarly using ORMs away from their areas of core advantage is asking for problems later (though one of their core advantages _is_ to help with a quick turnaround on an MVP or other PoC, especially if you aren't much knowledgeable about DB design considerations at the time, so I can't criticise that much).
Funny, my lesson was nearly the opposite: Don't try to use something that's popular but that meets my needs the best.
I used Mac for a long time but i got allergic to opinionated software. Tried Ubuntu for a while but hated the "not invented here" and commercial motives (eg even distributing small console stuff in snaps). I'm now very happy with FreeBSD on my primary desktop.
But of course my needs and things I care about are different.
You don't have to use what "most people use" if what you're using is fully compatible, or at least compatible enough that it does everything you need it to do. PostgreSQL and MySQL are both SQL databases, so depending on what exactly you're doing, there's likely not that much difference in use. (Plus, these days, PostgreSQL seems to have become more popular.)
So if you're just editing text, it doesn't matter if most people are using emacs, because you can use vim too. But I guess for running an OS, FreeBSD has had too many pain points for many people compared to just going with the Linux crowd.
You would think so, but you'd be surprised what how people (mis)use stuff and how they enjoy using vendor specific features / extensions. This is also, imo, what kind of killed the adoption of J2EE and even J2ME. I'm not talking about J2EE/JEE + Spring*, or using an embedded tomcat. I'm talking about basically what everybody's trying to create for the last 20 years in terms of deployment etc. Sun had it pretty much figured out back then
For editing text, I only use vi.. It's available everywhere and I know my way around it.
I'm glad postgres became popular :). The reasoning around using what many people use is that software is generally more available..
Maybe I'll give FreeBSD another swing in the future, but I'm not sure what the state of containers is. I used jails back in the days, but I'll have to do some research on that.
