Thread: DB Journal: PostgreSQL Software Installation
"Getting free software and installing can sometimes be a daunting task. Not so with PostgreSQL. ..." http://www.databasejournal.com/features/postgresql/article.php/3064861 Short but encouraging. Ian Barwick barwick@gmx.net
On Wed, Aug 27, 2003 at 01:43:25PM +0200, Ian Barwick wrote: > "Getting free software and installing can sometimes be a daunting task. Not so > with PostgreSQL. ..." Should there be a link to this on the web site? (Not so much because I think it's a particularly valuable document, but because I think a "PostgreSQL in the press"-type section would be good, and help to encourage future press coverage.) -Neil
I don't agree with this. I mean, it's not *hard* to install PostgreSQL, but it's nowhere as easy as Firebird or MySQL either. I mean, with Firebird, you basically run the install script and it does everything for you, including starting the server, end of story. With PostgreSQL, unfortunately, (at least when compiling from source as I do) you have to do several menial tasks, like create a data directory and set various permissions, add postgresql to chkconfig (redhat anyway), create a user, start postmaster with that user, then do an initdb. Not difficult, but more involved that simply running a script as you do with the others. Now with 7.4, having to manually setup autovaccuum is another thing to do. If I knew anything about shell scripting I'd offer to help streamline the process. But alas... Jacob On Wed, 27 Aug 2003 13:43:25 +0200, barwick@gmx.net (Ian Barwick) wrote: >"Getting free software and installing can sometimes be a daunting task. Not so >with PostgreSQL. ..."
On 28 Aug 2003 at 9:07, Jacob Hanson wrote: > If I knew anything about shell scripting I'd offer to help streamline > the process. But alas... Problem is there are customizations people often do between these steps. e.g. If you write a shell script, how would somebody symlink WAL directory to another drive. OK, somebody who knows to symlink WAL directory would know setting up postgresql from scratch like back of his hand. But that's just one point. I agree that dumbing down is good to lower initial entry barrier. But it's a concios choice. Postgresql always value choice and power over dumbing down things. Of course there could be enough documentation to make it look really easy. Like http://wiki.ael.be/index.php/PostgresQL101 HTH Bye Shridhar -- Yes, it is written. Good shall always destroy evil. -- Sirah the Yang, "The Omega Glory", stardate unknown
On Thu, 28 Aug 2003, Jacob Hanson wrote: > I don't agree with this. I mean, it's not *hard* to install > PostgreSQL, but it's nowhere as easy as Firebird or MySQL either. Actually, while MySQL is quite easy to install in binary formats (RPM, etc...) I've found it MUCH harder to install and get running from source than is postgresql. And there are lots of switches for things like data casting / input coercien, and ISO standards following for mysql that you don't have to worry about with postgresql. The fact that MySQL will run as root makes installation much easier, but also has its very real drawbacks from a security perspective. I've seen at least 3 root exploits for redhat's mysql package in the last year. I've NEVER seen a root exploit for postgresql, since it refuses to run as such. > I mean, with Firebird, you basically run the install script and it > does everything for you, including starting the server, end of story. > > With PostgreSQL, unfortunately, (at least when compiling from source > as I do) you have to do several menial tasks, like create a data > directory and set various permissions, add postgresql to chkconfig > (redhat anyway), create a user, start postmaster with that user, then > do an initdb. Not difficult, but more involved that simply running a > script as you do with the others. Now with 7.4, having to manually > setup autovaccuum is another thing to do. However, From packages they are both easy as dirt to install. But Postgresql requires more know how to configure once it's installed, i.e. postgresql.conf and pg_hba.conf. Using RPMs cuts down on the amount of work a postgresql install needs by a huge amount.
In article <Pine.LNX.4.33.0308281407550.4537-100000@css120.ihs.com>, "scott.marlowe" <scott.marlowe@ihs.com> writes: > The fact that MySQL will run as root makes installation much easier, but > also has its very real drawbacks from a security perspective. Minor nit: although MySQL starts as root, it switches soon to another user (normally named "mysql").