PostgreSQL's MVCC is bad. So is everyone else's

https://boringsql.com/posts/mvcc-bad-bad/

26•masklinn•1h ago

Comments

jhgb•1h ago

I'm surprised that Interbase/Firebird seems to be entirely omitted from this despite pioneering the MVCC approach.

radimm•56m ago

OP here, I acctually had Firebird listed in some version of my draft, but had to make a natural cut somewhere.

jhgb•54m ago

I see. I guess that makes sense, popularity-wise. I imagine the results were in the vicinity of PostgreSQL anyway, considering the similarity of approaches.

radimm•50m ago

I had to make a cut - and that's also a reason why etcd got mentioned - focused on what most people today know.

gjvc•41m ago

but that approach doesn't teach "most of your audience" something new that they didn't know before

radimm•12m ago

well, let's say it depends what audince. This particular topic came as part of talks I deliver on Postgres internals and my webinars. Same story. Again and again.

But I do get the point. Here the goal was - there's no perfect solution. Just characteristics to be aware of.

Given the anti-LLM sentiment here I need to get offline and not get affected by it.

gtowey•48m ago

I'm conflicted with this article. It does pack a lot of good information in there, and it's a useful comparison of the core difference between PostgreSQL and MySQL. But it still contains a lot of LLM-isms which are off putting and make me want to stop reading when I see them.

radimm•41m ago

OP here, thanks for the feedback. Just curious - anything specific? I spent long time getting to some sort of framework for my writing and being called LLM is my constant struggle.

PS: I do use LLM for polish, etc.

jdnier•30m ago

Tells like "load-bearing" and "real", for example.

"the heap's simplicity is load-bearing: once..."

"It's a real thing"

"It's a real trade-off"

"The design buys real things"

"it comes down to a real design choice"

"That's a real critique"

padjo•28m ago

I would say ignore them. It was well written an informative. Some people have just gone insane and see LLMs everywhere.

jdnier•27m ago

Really, don't use LLM for polish; that's what wrecks it imho. People write idiosyncratically and that's a good thing. That's your voice.

K0nserv•22m ago

shayonj•46m ago

> Nothing was solved. The four questions got new answers, and the costs moved into the compactor.

I have been meaning to write on this topic and in relation to LSM for a while. So, I appreciated that note on LSMs. There are no free ~lunches~ reads or writes.

evanelias•40m ago

Dupe of https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49078196 which was posted a couple days ago, and then seemingly revived in second chance pool before getting flagged for obvious slop-tone.

radimm•12m ago

OP, here thank you for comments and while I might not like it to be called LLM - I give up.

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