This one was just so good I had to put it here - if you're already reading the pgsql-general list, just ignore this post. On a thread about stupid benchmarks (comparing databases with default settings without changing anything, comparing MyISAM with a transactional engine, etc), Tom Lane gave us this gem:
I think it's a fine analogy, precisely because they're both good in their respective problem domains. Try to carry 500 people from Los Angeles to Tokyo in an F-15. No? Try to win a dogfight in a 747. No? But they both fly, so it must be useful to compare them... especially on the basis of the most simplistic test case you can think of. For extra points, use *only one* test case. Perhaps this paper can be described as "comparing an F-15 to a 747 on the basis of required runway length".
That's a good one, Tom! And can we please have proper benchmarks instead of this kind. (I'm intentionaly not linking to the actual benchmark in question)
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