> 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 database with 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 database tech before anyone else.  This is critically important during a period where SQL-RDBMSes are being portrayed as "old grandfathers" 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 tells them 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 we need:

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

In response to

• Re: Major features for 9.1 at 2011-04-03 09:43:12 from Peter Eisentraut

Responses

• Re: Major features for 9.1 at 2011-04-04 01:25:25 from Andrew Lardinois
• Re: Major features for 9.1 at 2011-04-05 23:10:03 from Kevin Grittner
• Re: Major features for 9.1 at 2011-04-07 00:39:33 from David Fetter
• Re: Major features for 9.1 at 2011-04-30 07:33:36 from Greg Smith

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