[dba-Tech] What I hate about Linux

On 2013-12-10 4:22 PM, Arthur Fuller wrote:
> The following link describes how to uninstall and then re-install a
> corrupted version of MySQL 5.x on Linux.
>
> http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-completely-reinstall-mysql-server/

Yes, that looks sound & complete.

>
> Compare that to the Windows 3-step:
> 1. Back up the data directory.
> 2. Un-install the program.
> 3. Install the program

For MySQL, that's neither sound nor complete; it'll often fail.

>
> Or even worse, the 1-click recovery, as in Office or SQL Server or numerous
> other programs:
> 1. Repair.

It's much more difficult to write a comprehensive GUI interface for 
RDBMS maintenance than it is to write just the maintenance logic and 
stub its atoms out to a commandline, so the comprehensive GUIs of SQL 
Server & Oracle costs big bucks.

>
> This article is an excellent summary of why Windows continues to win the
> battle for the desktop. As soon as something goes wrong, the Linux user is
> off into the frightening world of the command line -- and not once, not
> twice, but several times.

Users who're frightened by the commandline shouldn't try to manage 
MySQL, or MariaDB, or PostGres &c installations. They have two 
choices---hire a MySQL DBA, or pay for something like SQL Server.

>
> The very least that vendors could do is add an icon to the desktop or the
> menu. But apparently, that is stooping too low. As long as that situation
> persists, Linux will never win the desktop, despite the admirable efforts
> of the Ubuntu and Mint etc. boys. They are writing for the Highest Common
> Denominator. Bill and Steve chose instead to write for the Lowest Common
> Denominator.

If a user can't find the commandline, see above.

>
> I run them side by side almost always, and can see obvious advantages to
> Linux, when everything goes well, but even then, could the vendors not
> possibly supply an addition to the desktop that leads to Uninstall/Repair?
> Talk about Shooting Yourself in the Foot! Maybe the real hurdle to surmount
> is their collective refusal to recognize that Windows and Apple make it so
> much simpler?

Apple has a comprehensive DB interface? What is it?

For Windows RDBMSs, that simplicity comes at an understandable price of 
something like $5-10K/seat.

PB