Re: [pgsql-advocacy] [HACKERS] [OT] MySQL is bad, but THIS bad?

2006-05-22 Thread Jim C. Nasby
On Sat, May 20, 2006 at 02:29:01PM +0200, Dawid Kuroczko wrote:
 On 5/20/06, Lukas Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 The improvements to the installer are great, but there simply needs to
 be a packaged solution that adds more of the things people are very
 likely to use. From my understanding Bizgres goes in that direction? I
 just think that whatever highly packaged solution PostgreSQL picks, this
 should be the download that is pushed at conferences, in articles and
 books. People with a clue will still know where they can get the clean 
 base.
 
 Hmm, a Comprehensive PostgreSQL Archive Network? ;)
 
 I mean, something like CPAN, CTAN or CRAN? :)
 
 I mean, the -contrib is great, but pushing other things there is a bit
 tricky (to say the least) from the maintenance point of view.  (Every
 bugfix, a new release of -contrib, etc, etc...).
 
 Then again PGfoundry is great to keep development centered, but
 finding and building a new package is not really a one-liner, and
 if you're unlucky you might get alpha-quality code installed. :)
 
I don't see any reason why CPgAN would need to change pgFoundry at all.
In fact, my thought was that any such system should use pgFoundry as
it's backend/repository.

 I think a CPgAN-like solution would be the best.  A uniform method
 of getting approved Pg extensions.  It would simplify installing the
 extensions, and would encourage distributions to package such
 extensions.  Somebody suggested apt-get install postgresql-contrib.
 Imagine:
 apt-get install postgresql-datatype-fqdn
 apt-get install postgresql-gist-ltree
 ...and so on.

Except that apt doesn't work on all platforms. Though it would certainly
make sense to look at lifting the framework for CPgAN from somewhere,
rather than coding it ourselves.
-- 
Jim C. Nasby, Sr. Engineering Consultant  [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Pervasive Software  http://pervasive.comwork: 512-231-6117
vcard: http://jim.nasby.net/pervasive.vcf   cell: 512-569-9461

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Re: [pgsql-advocacy] [HACKERS] [OT] MySQL is bad, but THIS bad?

2006-05-22 Thread Mark Woodward
 On Sat, May 20, 2006 at 02:29:01PM +0200, Dawid Kuroczko wrote:
 On 5/20/06, Lukas Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 The improvements to the installer are great, but there simply needs to
 be a packaged solution that adds more of the things people are very
 likely to use. From my understanding Bizgres goes in that direction? I
 just think that whatever highly packaged solution PostgreSQL picks,
 this
 should be the download that is pushed at conferences, in articles and
 books. People with a clue will still know where they can get the clean
 base.

 Hmm, a Comprehensive PostgreSQL Archive Network? ;)

 I mean, something like CPAN, CTAN or CRAN? :)

 I mean, the -contrib is great, but pushing other things there is a bit
 tricky (to say the least) from the maintenance point of view.  (Every
 bugfix, a new release of -contrib, etc, etc...).

 Then again PGfoundry is great to keep development centered, but
 finding and building a new package is not really a one-liner, and
 if you're unlucky you might get alpha-quality code installed. :)

 I don't see any reason why CPgAN would need to change pgFoundry at all.
 In fact, my thought was that any such system should use pgFoundry as
 it's backend/repository.

 I think a CPgAN-like solution would be the best.  A uniform method
 of getting approved Pg extensions.  It would simplify installing the
 extensions, and would encourage distributions to package such
 extensions.  Somebody suggested apt-get install postgresql-contrib.
 Imagine:
 apt-get install postgresql-datatype-fqdn
 apt-get install postgresql-gist-ltree
 ...and so on.

 Except that apt doesn't work on all platforms. Though it would certainly
 make sense to look at lifting the framework for CPgAN from somewhere,
 rather than coding it ourselves.


A CPgAN would be a great idea in theory, but I have reservations.

As a software developer, I'm fine with pgfoundery, but as a DB admin, and
one who deploys data centers from time to time, I'd like to see something
closer to the contrib.

If I could have any influence at all, I'd like to see contrib
essentially go away in the main distribution and replaced or renamed
extensions. Then, some advisory group blesses extensions, and those
extensions get packaged into a PostgreSQL extensions pack. I, again as a
DB admin, would have NO problem with PostgreSQL playing favorites and
picking best of breed for these extensions.




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Re: [pgsql-advocacy] [HACKERS] [OT] MySQL is bad, but THIS bad?

2006-05-22 Thread Dawid Kuroczko

On 5/22/06, Mark Woodward [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Except that apt doesn't work on all platforms. Though it would certainly
 make sense to look at lifting the framework for CPgAN from somewhere,
 rather than coding it ourselves.

A CPgAN would be a great idea in theory, but I have reservations.

As a software developer, I'm fine with pgfoundery, but as a DB admin, and
one who deploys data centers from time to time, I'd like to see something
closer to the contrib.

If I could have any influence at all, I'd like to see contrib
essentially go away in the main distribution and replaced or renamed
extensions. Then, some advisory group blesses extensions, and those
extensions get packaged into a PostgreSQL extensions pack. I, again as a
DB admin, would have NO problem with PostgreSQL playing favorites and
picking best of breed for these extensions.


The problem with contrib is that no actively developed projects should
be there.  It is a feature, not a bug.  If it is actively developed, it may be
buggy. If it is proven over time, it can be safely used.  Also, for a contrib
it is inefficient to release a whole -contrib whenever a subproject releases
new release.  This forces -contrib to use stable-and-unchanging packages.
This also makes it extremaly hard to put new or niche projects.  New are
risky, because they may need immediate bugfixes.  Niche projects used
by a minority of users bloat -contrib and force more frequent releases,
both of which are well, not preferred.

Of course -contrib is great, we all know it. I think a CPgAN would be
a good testbed/incubator for new packages, some of which should
eventually get into -contrib.

Also, assuming there is a pginstall dbanme packagename interface,
a -contrib package should register all its subpackages within that
system.  So, you install postgresql-contrib, and then you can type:

pg_package install mydb index/ltree

and later, provided you change your mind:

pg_package remove mydb index/ltree
(with -f option to insert CASCADE whenever possible ;)).

This would be somewhat similar to current createlang(1) and friends. :)

  Regards,
 Dawid

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Re: [pgsql-advocacy] [HACKERS] [OT] MySQL is bad, but THIS bad?

2006-05-22 Thread Martijn van Oosterhout
On Mon, May 22, 2006 at 08:56:14PM +0200, Dawid Kuroczko wrote:
 Also, assuming there is a pginstall dbanme packagename interface,
 a -contrib package should register all its subpackages within that
 system.  So, you install postgresql-contrib, and then you can type:
 
 pg_package install mydb index/ltree

Incidently, this reminds me of something I proposed late last year
relating to easy installation of modules:

http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/2005-09/msg00476.php

To idea being that for most modules you only need a script to install
it (declare functions and types). For these modules you can actually
embed the script into the library itself. Thus, the installer only
needs to be pointed to the shared object and it's done.

If this installer tracked installed modules, you could use pg_depends
to track what installed what and thus uninstall stuff afterwards. It
might help pg_dump upgrades across versions.

Anyway, it was just a thought and it didn't generate any comments at
the time.

Have a nice day,
-- 
Martijn van Oosterhout   kleptog@svana.org   http://svana.org/kleptog/
 From each according to his ability. To each according to his ability to 
 litigate.


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