[wp-hackers] Re: Changing MySQL minimum version

[Doug Stewart]

On 11/30/06, Computer Guru <computerguru at neosmart.net> wrote:
> Not to start a war or anything, but I think David's right. Ever since 1.5 WP
> has become notorious for its rather in-efficient database. I'm NOT (let me
> repeat: NOT) a database expert and all I know about MySQL is just how to
> create a database that does the job. But I think there is something missing
> from WP's database performance.
>
> When you have forums like phpBB and IPB that can take up to 100 or more
> times the load as WP _without caching_ and they serve quite a lot more
> queries, I think that means something is wrong.
>
> IMO, WP being inefficient at DB-querying is something that already happened,
> and unless someone is volunteering to completely redo the database with full
> optimizations and proper schemas taking advantage of all of MySQL's
> (admittedly few) SQL-Side power tools, there's nothing to be done. But
> ignoring these features for future changes and feature-sets is another
> story...
>

Amen to all of that.  Take, for instance, Flopping Ace's recent
disparaging of WordPress due to the fact that his WP site was taken
down by traffic generated by the bogus "6 burned Sunnis" story:
http://floppingaces2.blogspot.com/2006/11/msm-patting-themselves-on-back.html

He used to have a fairly attractive and heavily-trafficked WP site but
when push came to shove, WP couldn't handle the load.  MT's static
publishing might be a pain in the butt and have its own downsides, but
MT-run sites run circles around WP sites when it comes to a digging,
/.'ing, Penny Arcade "wanging" or an Instalanche.  I can't tell you
how many frickin' times I've seen that WP "Error reaching the
database" error screen on blog posts carelessly dugg.  I loathe
Diggmirror, but such circumstances seemingly leave regular readers
with  no choice.

So a hearty +1DAM, +20 to hit on doing whatever we have to do to make
the mysql portion of WP work better.

-- 
-Doug

http://literalbarrage.org/blog/