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MySql is an Oracle product, too, It seems that sometimes questions concerning MySql database are tagged oracle, e.g. here. I this the intended usage of this tag?

The description of the oracle tag says nothing about MySql:

All versions of Oracle databases. Also add a version-specific tag like oracle-11g-r2 if that context is important in the question. Do not use for Oracle products such as applications or middleware.

The oracle tag in stackoverflow.com explicitely excludes MySql.

Oracle Server is an Object-relational Database Management System (ORDBMS) created by Oracle Corporation. Do NOT use this tag for other products owned by Oracle, such as Java and MySQL.

It should not be reserved for the Oracle 12c Database and its predecessors? Should the oracle tag used for other database products of Oracle Corperation, too? Other database products include MySql or Oracle Berkeley DB.

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    I don't think that question is a good example, since it asks about a feature "either in mysql / oracle" which implies that the question was about either platform (as unusual as that may be). Typically, though, I would assume it would be almost as wrong to tag a MySQL question with oracle as it would be to tag it with sql-server (which does happen on occasion and is specifically instructed against in the tag wiki). Jan 7, 2018 at 1:00

3 Answers 3

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I think the wording in the tag description is confusing. I have always believed the tag to be reserved for questions about a specific product called Oracle Database. Now I am not a native speaker, but it just seems wrong and, as I have already said, confusing to say "All versions of Oracle databases" where the real meaning is "All versions of Oracle Database".

In my opinion, therefore, the resolution of the question at hand should be to correct the wording in the tag description.

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NO. Rather, the tag description for should be updated to be more specific, like the StackOverflow description.

In the context of this site (and in the general vernacular of developers/DBAs), I would expect to refer to the product Oracle Database, rather than the comapny. I imagine this is how most people view the word "Oracle" in a database context, and widening the definition to include MySQL can start causing confusion for anyone asking/answering if they haven't read the tag description...And if a person thinks they already know what "Oracle" refers to, they probably won't read the tag description. How many of us have bothered to read the tag description for ? Ignorance is not an excuse for mistagging a question, but tags should still be intuitively understandable.

In terms of precedence for this type of tag, I should point out that there is no tag. If we allow both Oracle Database and MySQL questions to be encompassed under "Oracle", then we ought to allow SQL Server and Access to be encompassed under "Microsoft". On the other hand, there is a tag, even though they have multiple products such as ASE, IQ, etc. However, the tag description does explicitly say to include a tag of for the actual product.

Would it add any value to a question if the tag referred to all of the company's products, rather than Oracle Database? If so, would that value outweigh the cost of either re-tagging old questions to include (like the tag), or conversely, simply leaving old questions with the now-ambiguous tag?

Lastly, we should keep in mind that DBA.SE shares a lot of users with StackOverflow, where it's very well understood that the "Oracle" tag refers to Oracle Database. I'm not saying DBA.SE has to mirror SO, but consistency across the Stack Exchange network is definitely a positive.

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Yes

I agree with the logic presented here. Oracle bought MySQL. Now we should make them own it.

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    What is the advantage of tagging MySQL questions as 'oracle'? Does it help to find questions?
    – miracle173
    Jan 7, 2018 at 10:28
  • @miracle173 it encourages Oracle to kill off the product and to stop marketing, selling, and developing an inferior technology. Jan 7, 2018 at 17:09
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    Somehow I think you overstate SO’s influence here.
    – Nick.Mc
    Jan 8, 2018 at 14:04
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    @Nick.McDermaid FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT WITH ME. Jan 8, 2018 at 16:48
  • Ok I’ll write them a letter.
    – Nick.Mc
    Jan 8, 2018 at 21:42
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    I just did the 2018 developer survey and Oracle wasn't in the list of databases. MySQL was. Go figure :)
    – Nick.Mc
    Jan 9, 2018 at 6:22
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    @Nick.McDermaid: I completed the survey as well, and Oracle was on the list of databases.
    – user1822
    Jan 11, 2018 at 7:28
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    @EvanCarroll: So the oracle tag should also include Rdb, TimesTen, ONDB, JavaDB and Berkely DB? And ibm would cover DB2 for i, DB2 LuW, DB2 for Z/OS, Informix, Netezza and solidDB?
    – user1822
    Jan 11, 2018 at 7:35
  • a_horse_with_no_name, @Nick.McDermaid it wasn't initially but that was quickly fixed after a user commented in the announcement. Jan 15, 2018 at 7:39

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