It's the incentives stupid.... Another story about problems with giving people incentives to "achieve." This one about the best and most overpriced database system out there-Oracle. On a slightly different note-does anyone wonder what the long term future of high-end relational databases will be? I've always thought that IBM's DB2 would erode Oracle from the high-end while SQL Server would get the mid-level business. But what about open-source products like PostgreSQL? Right now, it can't match the scalability or feature set of the commercial products. But I believe we are seeing the end of the line for commercial Unix systems like Sun's Solaris as the Linux distributions backed by major companies are pointing toward a day when they can handle the heavy-duty corporate computing (and yes-the day is not here yet-but just wait....). If Oracle, and to a lesser extent IBM, charge hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not millions) for "support" of their database product, what's to stop companies from just spending that money in the future on taking the core code of PostgreSQL (assuming it's robust enough) and setting up their own customized software? Of course, I don't assert that open-source relational databases are anywhere near prime-time for the corporate market, but who would have thought Linux was going to be the Unix-killer (or savior) back in 1995? On the other hand, just like I think Windows is going to be entrenched for a long time on the desktop (home and business) because it's user-friendly, I suspect SQL Server and even Access will have futures because no corporation is going to invest in a consumer friendly interface (don't gasp about user friendly-a lot of friends smile to your face while stabbing you in the back and you think they're your buds). I think geeks will enjoy developing a database as robust as Oracle sometime in the future to give the middle finger to the corporations, but I doubt open-source will ever fall in love with idiot-proofing the UI and catering to the low-end desktop market (again-try and have your mom install something simple like Mandrake). (I don't mention MySQL because I don't want a barrage of e-mails accusing me of pushing a "toy database," come back when you are within spitting distance of PostgreSQL's feature-set and 4.0 is certified stable) OK, enough geekage for now. Won't blog for a few days, on a trip (again).