MySQL

Pro:

• The most widely-used RDBMS in Python, so lots of developer support.
• One of the easiest SQL languages to understand.
• Can do date calculations and pattern searches at the C level (faster than doing it in Python). This also applies to most other RDBMSs.
• Many books and MySQL third party tools? are available. -- ChuckEsterbrook - 31 Dec 2001
• High availability among web host providers. -- ChuckEsterbrook - 31 Dec 2001
• It's OpenSource. -- ChuckEsterbrook - 31 Dec 2001

Con:

• MySQL was designed for write occasionally, read quickly, rather than for intense write-frequently situations.
• Transactions were added recently and are available only with a non-default data storage type.
• MySQL is easier to crash under high load than PostgreSQL or Oracle.

-- MikeOrr - 31 Dec 2001