Re: [GENERAL] PostgreSQL Global Development Group

Robert Treat writes:

> I think we've already shown why it doesn't hurt to market to the
> converted. I'll add that if you compare the 7.2 press release with the
> 7.3 press release, you'll see none of the technical content was removed.

Compare the 7.3 release notes, written for the most part by Bruce
Momjian and revised by a couple of other developers, to the "press
release", written by people who were obviously ill-informed.

Release notes:

Schemas
Schemas allow users to create objects in their own namespace so
two people or applications can have tables with the same name.
There is also a public schema for shared tables. Table/index
creation can be restricted by removing permissions on the
public schema.

Press release:

Schemas
PostgreSQL now joins the handful of ORDBMS's to support
the SQL 92 Schema specification, improving both enterprise
database management and security through the use of namespaces.

This not only removes all information about the actual use of schemas,
it contains completely bogus information, because SQL 92 is obsolete,
there is no "SQL Schema specification", and none of this has to do
with being an ORDBMS. And besides, whose hands were used to do the
counting?

Release notes:

Drop Column
PostgreSQL now supports the ALTER TABLE ... DROP COLUMN
functionality.

Press release:

<void>

Release notes:

Table Functions
Functions returning multiple rows and/or multiple columns are
now much easier to use than before. You can call such a "table
function" in the SELECT FROM clause, treating its output like a
table. Also, PL/pgSQL functions can now return sets.

Press release:

Table Functions
PostgreSQL version 7.3 has greatly simplified returning result sets
of rows and columns in database functions. This significantly
enhances the useability of stored procedures in PostgreSQL, and will
make it even easier to port Oracle applications to PostgreSQL.

Again, this removes all details about how the feature can be used, and
again it inserts completely bogus information. There are no "sets of
columns", and PostgreSQL does not have stored procedures. Also, it
makes it look as though PostgreSQL exists merely to reimplement
Oracle.

Release notes:

Prepared Queries
PostgreSQL now supports prepared queries, for improved
performance.

Press release:

- Prepared queries for maximized performance on common requests.

I'm curious to know how the marketing department determined that this
is, in fact, the maximal performance.

Release notes:

Dependency Tracking
PostgreSQL now records object dependencies, which allows
improvements in many areas. "DROP" statements now take either
CASCADE or RESTRICT to control whether dependent objects are
also dropped.

Press release:

- Enhanced dependency tracking for complex databases.

Again, all relevant information dropped, replaced by marketing fluff.

Release notes:

Privileges
Functions and procedural languages now have privileges, and
functions can be defined to run with the privileges of their
creator.

Press release:

Security Advances
In response to community demands, PostgreSQL has added schema,
function, and other permissions and settings to increase the database
administrator's granular control over security.

Information dropped, replaced by broad and repetitive verbiage. But
at least they didn't write, "in response to market pressures".

And my personal favorite is this:

Release notes:

Internationalization
Both multibyte and locale support are now always enabled.

Press release:

- Supports data in many international characters sets (UNICODE, EUC_JP,
EUC_CN, EUC_KR, JOHAB, EUC_TW, ISO 8859-1 ECMA-94, KOI8, WIN1256, etc...)

That is just plain wrong. Support for various character sets is years
old.

--
Peter Eisentraut peter_e(at)gmx(dot)net