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The Passion of the Oracle Database Users

By justin.kestelyn on February 29, 2008 6:41 PM

According to my friends at Evans Data Corp., a survey of 1,400 database app developers and IT managers worldwide has found that the "most satisfied" database customers are users of Oracle Database 10g or 11g. SQL Server, MySQL, Informix, Postgres, DB2 were all included in this survey, with categories comprising Performance (speed), Security, Scalability, Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation of transactions, Durability of transactions, and Quality of data modeling tools. Rather complete.

As a general rule I am skeptical of all surveys and contests, but this rather bold statement from the report stands out:

In most cases the product that has the most overall user satisfaction, as measured when all relative rankings are combined, is usually strongest in a few areas, weak in a few, but mostly near the top in all. Oracle, however, breaks that mold. Oracle users absolutely love their database.

Well, this pretty much says it all: "Oracle users absolutely love their database." In fact, I would compare this level of personal attachment favorably to that of any alternative, any time.

I have to admit that I have personally underestimated this commitment several times. Look no further for an example than (former Oracle ACE) Howard Rogers, who shut down his own public advocacy of Oracle technology in protest to a game of "blog-tag" that temporarily flooded the Oracle blogosphere recently. Howard is such a passionate advocate that he will brook no interference with serious public conversations about the Oracle RDBMS. Now, that's what I call passion.

You can download the report here (reg required). BTW, if you are attending EDC's upcoming Developer Relations Conf in Redwood Shores, drop in on my session while you're there.

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Comments (6)

Noons:

the important thing to rember here is that it is tghe Oracle DATABASE that this survey talked about.

Not Oracle fusion, not Oracle applicatrions, not ADF.

The DATABASE.

Never forget that.

Posted by Noons | March 1, 2008 4:45 AM

Posted on March 1, 2008 04:45

bex:

First, ditto what Noons says... Altho there are several decent products in the fusion stack that elicit loyalty. Not all, but a handful.

Second, I think Howard Rogers' anger is a tad misplaced. Did he really quit being an ACE because of a blog tag game? If so, I'd like to know more about this guy...

Posted by bex | March 1, 2008 9:45 PM

Posted on March 1, 2008 21:45

Justin Kestelyn:

Yes, he did.

Posted by Justin Kestelyn | March 3, 2008 11:06 AM

Posted on March 3, 2008 11:06

bex:

typical joyless DBA ;-)

Posted by bex | March 3, 2008 6:28 PM

Posted on March 3, 2008 18:28

Nicolas:

Justin,
Is it the passion which allow the fights between users?
Is it the passion which give a lots of complaints ?
Please, find out more in the following therad :
http://forums.oracle.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=625949&tstart=0

Posted by Nicolas | March 7, 2008 6:21 AM

Posted on March 7, 2008 06:21

Justin Kestelyn:

If you are referring to the eternal Burleson/Bakker dispute - that has nothing to do with passion.

Posted by Justin Kestelyn | March 7, 2008 10:13 AM

Posted on March 7, 2008 10:13

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