MySQL’s automatic data truncation has caused me nothing but trouble, too.
While I tend to use a relational database system like PostgreSQL or DB2, I have worked with systems set up by other people wherein they have used MySQL.
One aspect of MySQL that I have always disliked is its tendency to silently truncate data. On more than one occasion it has been responsible for problems with a system that I have been working on. It seems that I am not alone! Today I saw an article about some MySQL professionals who got hit by MySQL’s data truncation. I think their situation is a great reminder of why we need to be careful when using MySQL, especially for data-critical installations. Even those with years of experience can run into problems that aren’t always easily diagnosed.