MySQL 5.0 Enters Beta
In what is being described as the 'fixing 10 years of criticism in one release', MySQL has moved the 5.0 Version of it's database into beta. New features include, triggers, views, and stored procedures. A beta from MySQL means the software is pretty rock solid already, they are one of the few products I would consider putting into production as a Beta.
When I first started programming I used MySQL for everything. Other programmers would tout the advantages that MS SQL Server and Oracle offering more functionality. I would simply counter who needs them. Views, who cares if my SQL statements in my code are a bit messier. Triggers, just run a chron job that executes a code script. Stored Procedures, why not just have functions that do it in the script. Well I have to say after I moved to a job where MS SQL server was the perferred db platform I used these new features and eventually I became a fan of their use. I learned views improve performace, triggers are more responsive and make more sense from an archtectual standpoint, and stored procedures take the load off of the web server's proccessing and also make more sense from an architectual standpoint.
ZDNet has a story on the release of MySQL 5.0. The article misses one huge point, the advanced clustering capabilities available in this version. While clustering has been supported before in a limited fashion in previous versions and helped along by 3rd party modifications, full support is finally here. MySQL uses a completely new file storage system that really makes my mouth drool.
Want more info. At the Orielly conference I had the fortune of getting an in depth overview of the new functionality of MySQL 5.0