Re: PostgreSQL training recommendations?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: pgsql-general-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org [mailto:pgsql-general-
> owner(at)postgresql(dot)org] On Behalf Of Thalis Kalfigkopoulos
> Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 3:24 PM
> To: Bruce Momjian
> Cc: Matthew Kappel; pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org
> Subject: Re: [GENERAL] PostgreSQL training recommendations?
>
> True about the lack of framework putting the pieces together and providing
> an overview.
>
> Also IMHO another difficulty the manual poses is that the reader doesn't
> have a way to confirm his level of understanding after reading a chapter.
>
> Letting aside the concepts for which creating a scenario/test-case are
> downright complex, hard to reproduce or dependent on a per-installation
> basis, the learning experience could greatly benefit from a pg-tailored
Q&A
> section at the end of each chapter. Perhaps even a downloadable test
> database to play with? And not wanting to just be lighting fires here, I'd
be
> happy to volunteer.
>
> Now I'd understand the Pg manual writers being reluctant about shifting
> from manual to DB-book, but I'm guessing, the manual being as well written
> as it is, that many of us are already using it as a learning book anyway.
>
>
> best regards,
> Thalis K.
>
>

Thalis, please do not top-post; especially when others have already
bottom-posted before you.

IMO writing and maintaining educational/training materials is a somewhat
different skill set and focus than writing and maintaining technical
documentation. They have their own timelines and needs and the gatekeepers
for the documentation are not necessarily the best people to gatekeep
educational materials.

There are many different ideas out there - both content/format as well as
pricing models. For better and worse the PostgreSQL "core" community does
not attempt to play favorites or provide recommendations or a "centralized"
database of what is out there. The wiki and FAQ extend what is provided for
in the documentation somewhat but on the whole it is a very loose coalition.
Such decentralization, combined with very little spare capacity of
PostgreSQL skilled persons, makes getting started from scratch a difficult
proposition.

Aside from all of that the documentation is written in SGML thus making
contributing that much more difficult. If you are interested in
"volunteering" then just do it. Develop content and then work with the
community to determine how to best integrate it with the existing materials
out there or at worse see if someone will host it for you.

David J.