Re: [HACKERS] Lots 'o patches

> I don't quite understand "to get the string conversions for the name
> data type" (unless it refers to inserting the appropriate info into
> the system catalogs), but dump/reload it isn't a problem at all for
> me. It used to really suck, mostly because it was broken, but now it
> works great.
>
> On Sun, 31 May 1998, at 16:31:27, David Gould wrote:
>
> > > Oh, requires a dump/reload to get the string conversions for the name
> > > data type.
> >
> > Ooops. I guess we need to add "make a useful upgrade procedure" to our
> > todo list. I am not picking on this patch, it is a problem of long standing
> > but as we get into real applications it will become increasingly
> > unacceptable.

One of the Illustra customers moving to Informix UDO that I have had the
pleasure of working with is Egghead software. They sell stuff over the web.
24 hours a day. Every day. Their database takes something like 20 hours to
dump and reload. The last time they did that they were down the whole time
and it made the headline spot on cnet news. Not good. I don't think they
want to do it again.

If we want postgresql to be usable by real businesses, requiring downtime is
not acceptable.

A proper upgrade would just update the catalogs online and fix any other
issues without needing a dump / restore cycle.

As a Sybase customer once told one of our support people in a very loud voice
"THIS is NOT a "Name and Address" database. WE SELL STOCKS!".

-dg

David Gould dg(at)illustra(dot)com 510.628.3783 or 510.305.9468
Informix Software 300 Lakeside Drive Oakland, CA 94612
- A child of five could understand this! Fetch me a child of five.