Re: Running under Cygwin: stability - performance?

>
>
> George Weaver wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I am relatively new to PostrgeSQL. I'm considering using it to
> > support a distributed application that potentially could be used on a
> > Windows 9x system. What is meant by the terms "stable" and
> > "unstable"? If PostgreSQL is not stable enough on 9x systems for
> > production, would I be advised to explore other options for database
> > support??
>
>
> Understand, when we say stable, we mean relaible, dependable, and
> doesn't need to be rebooted for months or years. Windows, any version
> thus far, does not meet the minimum requirement of "stable," Windows 9x
> less so.
>
> That being said, if Windows 98 is stable enough for your application, I
> would not say that PostgreSQL is any less stable than your environment.
>
> >
> > Thanks,
> > George

I have also found postgres to be more stable than windows 9x for all
intents and purposes. I'm currently at the end of a one-year development
process where postgres is being used as the backend on hundreds of win9x
machines in stores all over the states. In all my hundreds (at least) of
testing (all on Japanese win98), I've had postgres as the point of
failure no more than a handfull of times, and I stress my dev box so
hard that it needs a good half-dozen reboots a day. This app is being
developed with the understanding that the machines are going to be shut
down at the end of every work day, and that's the only way I'd run
postgres in any kind of win9x environment.
That said, I find the performance to also be very impressive (once I
homebrewed a connection pooling scheme; You can't even use it if you
force alot of forks, as already explained in a previous reply), and find
it fits our needs for scalability (if someone needs more power/security,
we can set up a *nix box for them), reliability (like I said, it's more
reliable than the underlying OS ;), and, of course, price (seriously,
this was a major consideration).
I wouldn't touch postgres under 9x if you need huge uptime, though.
Also, security can be a concern (esp. if the operator of the machine
isn't supposed to be able to directly manipulate data, but that's not
just a 9x concern any more...), as can load...but it's all a matter of
what you're going to do with it!
Hope this helps!

-Brian Marshall