Patches for Postgresql on Linux/Alpha!

Ok, they are finally here.... This is an initial release to just
the pgsql lists. If no one sees any problems with the below announcement
or patches, I will then forward them on to the rest of the world (save for
the RH pgsql packager, as I do not have his email address). Also, as
others see fit, maybe the patches should be put on the FTP site, and maybe
a small annoucement somewhere on the web site, so people can find the
patches, even if they missed them on the mailing lists.

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Attached are patches to fix about 99% of the problems that exist
with PostgreSQL on Alpha's running Linux. They have not been heavily
tested, but from what testing has been done, they appear to fix a number
of nagging problems in the Alpha port of PostgreSQL.
These patches are against the 6.5.1 release tarball as available
from ftp.postgresql.org. When applied, the resulting binaries pass all
regression tests save for two:

geometry: Minor off by one error in the last decimal place. Can be
safely ignored provided you don't need extreme accuracy.
rules: Minor quirk in that PostgreSQL on Alpha has a different
default sorting order than the platform original used to
generate the expected regression results. Can be safely ignored.

Unaligned traps are still present in a moderate amount with PostgreSQL on
Linux/Alpha. To give one a feeling of the number, 28 were generated from a
run of the regression tests. These are being worked on and should be
resolved in the future.

Therefore, everyone with an Alpha running Linux and interested in
running an excellent SQL database, download the 6.5.1 source for
PostgreSQL, apply the patches, compile it, and pound on it. Send
reactions, evaluations, problems to either me, the Debian Alpha list,
Red Hat Alpha list, or even the PostgreSQL ports list and I will see them.

Because the extensive changes these patches make to the main
PostgreSQL source tree, they are being and will be provided seperately for
the 6.5.x releases. It is planned to roll them into the main distribution
source tree for the 6.6 release that is down the road a couple of months.

Lastly, these patches are also available from my web site (see
address in sig), where I will also be posting any future updates.

PS. Uncle George (often spotted on the RedHat axp-list) is the one
to thank for the bulk of these patches. The rest is a combined mix of
fixes by both Bruce Momjian and myself.

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| "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." |
| --- Philippians 1:21 (KJV) |
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| Ryan Kirkpatrick | Boulder, Colorado | rkirkpat(at)nag(dot)cs(dot)colorado(dot)edu |
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| http://www-ugrad.cs.colorado.edu/~rkirkpat/ |
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