Re: Major features for 9.1 - Mailing list pgsql-advocacy

> I assume you mean by "innovation" that these are things where
> PostgreSQL
> was the first DBMS to implement them. The risk with that is, unless
> you
> do very careful research, someone might debunk each of these within 24
> hours after the release, making the whole thing look foolish.

Well, we can hedge a bit.  But, better, can someone (preferably several someones) on this list volunteer to do
research? Anyone? 

>
> Moreover, the fact that something might have been innovated doesn't
> explain how it helps the user.

Truthfully, for a press release, it doesn't matter.  Many reporters/bloggers will happily quote that we're the first
databasewith SSI without having a clue what it means.  In general, most reporters who cover databases don't really know
know(or care) much about databases regardless (or "NoSQL" wouldn't have the press it does).   

From a PR perspective, the important thing to get across is that the PostgreSQL project is innovating, implementing new
databasetech before anyone else.  This is critically important during a period where SQL-RDBMSes are being portrayed as
"oldgrandfathers" in a press more enchanted with "the new hotness" of recently invented DBMSes. 

Now, for our users and for serious database geeks, we *do* need an elevator-pitch explanation of several features which
tellsthem why they should care.  Several features in particular are not immediately obvious: 

* SSI
* wCTE
* KNN-GiST
* SE-Postgres
* Transaction-controlled Synch Rep

I would like to have volunteers from the advocacy list commit to taking on one of each of these features.  For each one
weneed: 

a) a two-line explanation of what the feature is and why it's valuable (for the release notes, etc.)
b) a wiki page with a more detailed explaination and examples oriented towards the beginning-to-intermediate PostgreSQL
user.

Volunteers?


--
Josh Berkus
PostgreSQL Experts Inc.
http://pgexperts.com
San Francisco