[mythtv-users] mythtv dropping mysql???

[Michael T. Dean]

On 10/16/2014 08:21 PM, Michael Watson wrote:
> I disagree with the "Windows" style, different server for each service.
> The idea of embedding the DB (like many Windows apps) is a step 
> backward in my view.  The modular aspect of Myth is one of its stand 
> out features in my view.

Who ever said an embedded DB wouldn't be modular?  It will actually be 
/more/ modular than the current design.

>   If I wish/need to run the SQL service on another machine, I can.

If you wish to run the embedded database/data server on another machine, 
you'll be able to.

>   If I require more than 1 backend, I can, etc.

If you require more than 1 backend, you'll still be able to run more 
than 1 backend.  As a matter of fact, it's likely that when we have the 
embedded database, we'll have modularized what's now one monolithic 
backend so that you can run only those pieces you want/need on any given 
system (i.e. run data server here, run scheduler here, run recorders 
there and there and there, run job queues there, run media servers there 
and there and there and there, ...)

>      I have seen Windows Servers with 6+ instances of MSSQL running, 
> because each different app installed its own instance of MSSQL Express 
> and no ability to use a full licensed version if available. Do we 
> really need to go down this backup & support hell path with MythTV??

This won't be instances of MySQL running on the system, it will be 
embedded MySQL running as part of a MythTV application.  If you run 
other applications that have embedded MySQL, it will be more similar to 
running multiple applications with embedded SQLite database on your 
system (as you do now), such as Firefox and Thunderbird and Dropbox and 
...--or for you Apple users, Apple Mail and Safari and Aperture and 
iTunes.  (Or even in multiple Android applications and multiple iOS 
applications--and if a resource-constrained, ARM-powered device can do 
this type of thing, your PC you choose to use for running the MythTV 
data server will be able to.)

> What actual advantages does switching to an embedded DB Server provide?

It forces everyone--developers of MythTV /and/ everyone else--to access 
the data correctly, via requests to a data server, which can enforce 
data integrity constraints, rather than using direct database access 
because embedded MySQL does not support multi-client/network access.  
This means that people will be forced to finally do things 
properly--instead of just hacking some SQL script to fix up their 
channels or running some quick SQL to modify some stuff in their 
database, someone will have to write the code to allow /anyone/ to fix 
up their channels easily or modify whatever stuff needs modifying in the 
database.

IMHO, the biggest problem with providing easy access to the underlying, 
internal-use data is that it provides a means by which people can 
selfishly solve problems for themselves rather than helping to solve the 
problem for everyone.

That said, the 2 main reasons I'm for it are 1) because someone 
shouldn't have to be a DBA to install/configure/run/maintain MythTV and 
2) it will encourage us (the developers, as well as users) to make the 
tools to do things that need to be done.  (So, rather than lazy 
solutions like SQL scripts that set up all the channels for users in the 
UK after broadcasters shuffle/rename things, we'll have built-in tools 
that make it easy to set up the channels, etc.)

Mike