Re: PostgreSQL still for Linux only? - Mailing list pgsql-general

On Thu, 2005-03-10 at 10:19, Tope Akinniyi wrote:
> Hi all,

Howdy.  Glad to have you on the lists.

> 1. If I can manage it, can I continue to use PostgreSQL on Windows and
> watch as it evolves? I recognise the points certain respondents made
> on earlier; which was PostgreSQL on Windows is still a baby boy, do
> not expect it to walk like a man or expect it to possess the features
> of a man.

That's the first problem.  PostgreSQL is new on windows.

> 2. This response is alarming:
> Tom Lane wrote in digest V1.5092:
> >We are supporting Windows as a Postgres platform for the benefit of
> developers who want to
> >do testing on their laptops (and for reasons best known to themselves
> feel a need to run >Windows on their laptops).

This is the second problem.  Windows simply has problems that cause data
relibility problems that may or may not be surmountable in the future.

> a. Who are the 'we' Tom is talking about?

The PostgreSQL Global Development Group, I'd suppose.  That's the core
team that makes the big decisions.

> c. Does this mean that PostgreSQL for Windows is just a toy or model -
> Oh do not take it serious? Or is the Windows version by design a
> miniature of the *NIX version, lacking the requisite mechanism of a
> reliable database?

That would be a bit harsh.  It's more a combination of several things.

1:  Windows / postgresql is quite a bit slower than unix / postgresql.
2:  The Windows port is known to have a few issues with heavy load on
Windows.
3:  PostgreSQL on Windows is a new port, and therefore needs a bit of a
shakedown cruise before anyone can definitively say it's stable, fast
and reliable.

> d. And does that mean the developers can decide to withdraw
> development and support for the Windows version anytime they so wish?

They could, but I'm not sure they would.  It's really up to the folks
who developed the port to windows to keep it working and up to date.  IF
some basic core part of postgresql was changed, and that broke the
windows port, and no one was willing or able to fix it, then yes, I
guess the port might be abandoned.  But that's no more likely for
Windows than any other semi-obscure platform that postgresql runs on
like AIX or SCO unix.

> Tom lane's post is worrisome to me. It bothers on consistency. Would
> PostgreSQL be consistent for Windows?  If not, I think at this stage I
> can easily roll back and migrate my clients back to other Windows
> Database system where I feel I will be secured for some time to come
> as using PostgreSQL does not affect much of my operations.  I am just
> expanding my varieties.

Any new port of a database to a new operating system presents the
possibility that some corner case that no one has tested before will pop
up and corrupt your data at some point.  So, from that perspective,
PostgreSQL on windows is not considered 100% reliable yet.  Not because
of a lot of known problems, but because of a lack of heavy testing in a
large and diverse group of production environments.

> Off the topic:
> -->
> Uwe C. Schroeder wrote:
> >I think it could even damage the quite good reputation of PostgreSQL
> - if your windows box >crashes and takes the DB with it - most likely
> it's not the fault of a lousy OS, nor the fault of >an incompetent
> sysadmin who forgot to make backups - it will be this "shitty" free
> database >system that's to blame.
>
> I do not seem to be comfortable with this "Windows will spoil
> PostgreSQL reputation position" as posted by Schroeder. Is PostgreSQL
> the only database engine running on Windows? There are million of
> licences of Oracle, mySQL, Sybase, etc for Windows servers.

But those databases have years to get shaken down into shape.
PostgreSQL is new on that platform, so caution is a good thing there.

> I will appreciate your kind response on this before I finally take my
> decision on whether to continue with PostgreSQL for Windows for now.

I encourage you to keep using it, and contribute in any way you can.
PostgreSQL has one of the most active and helpful user communities there
is around any open source project.  And it's a great database to boot.

I never thought your post was a troll, by the way.  I just thought you
weren't very familiar with the whole "PostgreSQL ported to Windows" set
of issues and therefore phrased your questions in ways that made some
eyebrows pop up.

Welcome to the community!