Re: Backend working directories and absolute file paths

On Thu, Jun 30, 2005 at 10:55:58AM -0400, Tom Lane wrote:
> Ciprian Popovici discovered an entirely new way to break the safety
> interlocks that are meant to prevent you from starting a postmaster
> in a data directory of the wrong version:
> http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-general/2005-06/msg01349.php

> While one could say this is pilot error, it's still annoying that
> the database manages to hose itself so thoroughly.

There will always be a way for a user with enough knowlege to hose a
database completely. I think it's significant that Mr. Popovici is
the first to manage this one, in the sense that it takes an especially
creative combination of a little knowlege and rushing in where angels
fear to tread to reproduce the problem. There will never be a
solution to human foolishness, so I say we just tell him and others
like him to restore from backup and move on.

Just my $.02

Cheers,
D
--
David Fetter david(at)fetter(dot)org http://fetter.org/
phone: +1 510 893 6100 mobile: +1 415 235 3778

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