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I see from the thread Which tools and technologies build the Stack Exchange Network? that the database specifications are:

Database SQL Server 2008 R2 running Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition x64

While this does not necessarily mean that Oracle wont do this job, it does indicate that it is not as good for this part.

How far is it true? What are the reasons?

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It just means that the developers were more familiar with the Microsoft stack.

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    Most of the time companies and people select one platform over another because they are more familiar with one that another.
    – mrdenny
    Jan 8, 2011 at 0:39
  • The co-founders of Stackoverflow are Joel Spolsky, who worked for Microsoft (and wrote VBA for Excel), and Jeff Atwood, who started as a hacker using MS Basic.
    – Neil McGuigan
    Apr 28, 2013 at 7:57
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They also signed up as Biz Spark customers so they got all the Microsoft licenses for free for the first few years (as long as they stay members of the program).

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  • The familiarity thing was probably the reason, but you are right in that Biz Spark could have made that decision much earlier to justify!
    – David Spillett
    Jan 8, 2011 at 0:51
  • Oracle lacks a program like BizSpark or DreamSpark, and thus tends to get ignored by start ups because Oracle licenses are quite expensive.
    – Tangurena
    Jan 8, 2011 at 16:16
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Is PHP not well suited to writing websites? The didn't write StackOverflow with it so it must not be any good.

I imagine the MySQL/PHP devs on SO would love to argue that with you. It really was a matter of taste. Are you aware that Oracle has it's own webserver of sorts built in? (it's based on Apache).

Do you see where this is going? I get your point, but I think the question is just very poorly worded. I'm open to helping you work on it, and that's why I made an answer and not a comment, but for now, VtC.

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  • Actually, yes, it is a sign that's PHP isn't any good for writing websites. And they didn't write it in shell, either. (I had someone ask me to put a shell script CGI on one of my servers earlier this year, and didn't understand why I reacted how I did)
    – Joe
    Jan 8, 2011 at 3:48
  • By that logic... what am I saying! That is no logic. At all.
    – Jürgen A. Erhard
    Jan 9, 2011 at 20:34
  • @jae ~ I understand, I just wanted to point out the futility of the question when I posted this answer. I really don't expect this answer to remain non-downvoted.
    – jcolebrand ♦
    Jan 10, 2011 at 5:32
  • @jcolebrand sorry, should have put an @Joe, because I replied to him. Sorry again for the confusion.
    – Jürgen A. Erhard
    Jan 10, 2011 at 12:21
  • @jcolebrand though I personally do think that MySQL/PHP isn't any good for writing websites. I also do know that it's a gut feeling (hate PHP with a passion) and not a logical argument. ;-)
    – Jürgen A. Erhard
    Jan 10, 2011 at 12:23

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