For answers, we reviewed six popular free or open source database products: Microsoft SQL Server Express, PostgreSQL, Oracle’s MySQL, MariaDB, Apache Derby and Firebird SQL.

MySQL is free for non-commercial purposes and cannot cost much for commercial use. Offers feature just like MS-SQL, Oracle, and IBM DB2, large-end database applications.

Microsoft's upcoming SQL Server 2005 Express is restricted for use on one processor, up to one gigabyte of addressable RAM and a maximum four-gigabyte database size.

In the area of database instructional book sales, considered a good indicator of developer interest, sales of SQL Server how-to books have surpassed MySQL books this year, according to Roger ...

Instead of adding more MySQL servers, Green decided to roll out three installations of IBM ‘s new DB2 Express-C database. They are managed by a load-balancing application from Xkoto Inc., which is ...

Oracle intends to release a free version of its database, a reaction to the growing competitive pressure from low-end open-source databases.

Oracle plans to release a free version of its database by year's end that could help it better compete with Microsoft and open-source databases at the low end of the market.

Analyst firm Hydrasight research director John Brand believes even if free databases are now available from the tier-1 vendors, the commercial database is unlikely to disappear completely.

For answers, we reviewed six popular free or open source database products: Microsoft SQL Server Express, PostgreSQL, Oracle’s MySQL, MariaDB, Apache Derby, and Firebird SQL.

Oracle intends to release a free version of its database, a reaction to the growing competitive pressure from low-end open-source databases. The database heavyweight on Tuesday is expected to ...