Re: Updates of SE-PostgreSQL 8.4devel patches (r1704)

On Tue, 2009-03-10 at 13:08 -0400, Tom Lane wrote:
> "Joshua D. Drake" <jd(at)commandprompt(dot)com> writes:
> > I think you misunderstand me. I have watched this thread very closely
> > because it has specific strategic interest. For the record:
>
> > * This patch does scare me
> > * With great risk comes great reward
>
> ... or great failure.

Sure, which all humans and projects must do at some point. It is how one
learns after all. Sometimes the only thing you can do is fail. On the
other hand if we succeed it will be a great reward.

> My key concern is that we are setting ourselves
> up for failure by accepting a patch that hasn't attracted sufficient
> community interest. This patch needs way more eyeballs on it than it
> has gotten; which is not only bad in terms of the level of trust we
> should have in the patch right now, but it is a very negative signal
> about how much maintenance manpower it can expect in the future.
>
> Now the entire effort on KaiGai-san's part has been founded on the
> assumption that "if you build it, they will come"; and that is exactly
> the same argument I hear you making for continued investment in the
> project.

Yes but I am also offering an opportunity for others to show up. Which
denying the patch does not do. If we provide SE support (even with
marking it experimental), I would wager that some Linux distributions
would begin to test it themselves which would allow us in turn to
benefit by taking it out of experimental. Since RH, SuSE etc... are not
going to Patch postgresql outside of some general compatibility issues.

But all of this is moot. I see this as coming down to a simple result.

* We don't enable it by default.
* We mark it as experimental (or beta or whatever)

Is there a serious regression in this line of thinking? It isn't unheard
of in other projects. It allows the user to make a determination if they
want to test/use the feature. It also continues the positive process of
removing the fork which is pulling community away from us (at least to
some degree) because those who are using SEpostgres are doing so out of
his tree and not ours.

Sincerely,

Joshua D. Drake

>
> regards, tom lane
>
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