Re: Is my MySQL Gaining ? - Mailing list pgsql-general

> > I have presented this before as an example. If you install PG you're
> > supposed to create a user postgres but nobody writes about what shell that
> > user needs and even if that user is supposed to have a shell at all..
> > homedir etc?? dunno..
>
>Hmmmm.  Ok, I had several gut reactions...
>
>1) The shell doesn't matter unless you're interfacing to the DB with
>    shell scripts.  In that case pick your poison
>2) I wonder how the linux skills set of those installing PG are
>3) there are several ways to add users in linux
>3) Wait- forget linux what about FreeBSD the other OS'

I'm not asking to explain how to add users to the system.

I assume there is something you might even call a recommended setup.. It
would be nice if that was included in the docs. I realise that at some
point most admins will adapt it to their own ideas.

>Conclusion, we can't possibly do detailed descriptions for every nuance BUT, I
>do understand what you mean.

A recommended setup could be included for say Linux that would allow users
of other OS's to adapt it to their own OS. Having said that, I think most
of the install is the same for all supported operating systems.

>I was going to upgrade to 7.4.1 on my laptop so if people think a "Installing
>PostgreSQL on Linux" technote is needed (and does not already exsist in
>another
>form) then I'd be more than happy to do it.

The manual is clear on this part.

> > Another example? alright, data types. I found a very helpful list at the
> > website but I didn't see the limitations per type (maximum lenght like
> > MySQL says varchar max 255), or is it hidden somewhere on the PG website?.
>
>???  That is right in the Data Types chapter...
>
>http://www.postgresql.org/docs/7.4/static/datatype.html

I still don't find it. I know you can do a varchar(255) but what is the
maximum PG will allow? Is there a maximum?
In short, how much can I put into the field before it breaks.

But perhaps I should keep my mouth shut until I have been reading a good
book ;-) still think it should be in the docs though.

> > It would certainly help if the docs would clarify if something is good or
> > bad.
>
>I was just running something else so my mind is not mush but I thought the
>messages reported were prepending with the standard syslog severity level, no?

It says either WARNING, NOTICE (IIRC),??. But the information from the docs
are not clear on if you want to find out how severe it is. And perhaps ways
to prevent them? Although that might depend much on the code.. and isn't
interesting once you know how to work with PG..

> > Some messages ago I saw someone writing about something like "this is the
> > manual not handholding". IMO there is a difference between a well written
> > and complete manual and handholding.
> > Having said that, I realise it's a lot of work to keep good documentation
> > into synch with development..
>
>What was meant there (for my part in that) is that the docs are very complete
>when you consider them as references.  That is really what you are going
>to need
>after you learn the product.  I think what is coming out of this discussion
>today is that we the current docs are references and might scare of people who
>are need to SQL and/or PG so, we need something else to get them going and
>used
>to how things are done in the PG world.

I know a fair bit of SQL, just wanne know more about PG. Next year I will
start shopping at the nearest bookstore to see what they have on PG..
Hopefully there is a book that compares to the book MySQL but then for PG..



B.