Another ESRI conference is upon us and I just noticed that the survey that Jack Dangermond always sends out is in my inbox. I was filling it out as I always do putting in that I’d like support for MySQL or PostgreSQL and low and behold later in the survey there is a question asking if I’d like to see either. I can’t recall if that question was ever in a previous survey, but I know people have asked again and again at the technical workshops.
Personally I’d love to see support for either. The biggest cost for SDE isn’t always SDE itself but a RDBMS that can support enough users on the internet. I still would always recommend Oracle over any other RDBMS, but I’ve run into a couple of situations where clients don’t have the money to spend on Oracle or SQL Server for their web applications and we have to leave all GIS data as Shapefiles (bah!). I’m not getting my hopes up that there will be an annoucement, but both MySQL and PostgreSQL have really taken off in the last 5 years. Personally I’d rather have PostgreSQL support, but either would be help us with our web deployments.
4 responses so far ↓
1
Shaun Kolomeitz
// Jul 31, 2005 at 11:01 pm
Here here - I totally agree !
It took way too long for ESRI to “recognise” Linux as a serious option in the server market. I hope it won’t be the same in the spatial db area.
I’m somewhat used to having the luxury of access to Oracle or MS SQL Server, but am enjoying “playing” with MySQL and PostgreSQL and from what I can see there would definately be a place for “lower end” (not that these products are low quality by any means) products like these. For one thing it would permit broader exposure of spatial data as well as encouraging what has been “best practice” in the spatial industry for years now (spatial data in a spatial db). This could lead to all sorts of surprising innovations and applications.
Cheers,
Shaun
2
Muhammad Faraz
// Apr 9, 2006 at 9:12 am
Soo true…!
I’ve been involved in ESRI based mapping for 3 years now. and to work with ArcSDE with Oracle or MSSQL always meant sticking to M@#$@#$2 W@#$@@…! now it seems that it will be possible to make that shift.
3
Zac
// Oct 19, 2007 at 12:52 am
Any new developments towards ensuring we have ArcSDE running on MySQL? This will really enable us people in Africa to exploit Spatial DB technologies given that Oracle and MS SQL Server are just not affordable in this part of the world. I know these comments are rather old and alot of water has passed under the bridge since then, are there any new developments?? Cheers. Zac
4
James Fee
// Oct 19, 2007 at 7:03 am
Zac, ArcGIS Server 9.3 (which includes the “old” ArcSDE) will support PostgreSQL.
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