Re: [HACKERS] Re: HISTORY for 6.5.2

On Tue, 21 Sep 1999, Michael Simms wrote:

> I would have to say that if you 'started out with theintention of writing
> a corba front-and' then I dont think you can really speak for newbies.
>
> When I started using postgresql I had vaguely heard of odbc and I had
> a couple of example queries of SQL.
>
> If I had had to go to template1 and create database whatever; and THEN
> go use it, I would have been fairly confused.

Why? How did you learn about the createdb or createuser commands in the
first place?

Section 20 of the INSTALL file could read:

20. Briefly test that the backend will start and
run by running it from the command line.
a. Start the postmaster daemon running in the
background by typing
$ cd
$ nohup postmaster -i > pgserver.log 2>&1 &
b. Connect to the database by typing
$ psql template1
b. Create a database by typing
$ create database testdb;
c. Connect to the new database by typing:
template1=> \connect testdb
d. And run a sample query:
testdb=> SELECT datetime 'now';
e. Exit psql:
testdb=> \q
f. Remove the test database (unless you will
want to use it later for other tests):
testdb=> drop database testdb;

now the end user knows how to create and drop a database properly...

hell, add in a few extra steps for creating a new user and deleting
him...once ppl know the commands exist, they will use them and learn how
to better use them...

For 'newbies', they learn about createdb/createuser from the INSTALL
file...it doesn't take anything to teach them to do 'CREATE DATABASE' vs
'createdb', and it gives them the *proper* way to do it...

Marc G. Fournier ICQ#7615664 IRC Nick: Scrappy
Systems Administrator @ hub.org
primary: scrappy(at)hub(dot)org secondary: scrappy(at){freebsd|postgresql}.org