Simon Riggs <simon(at)2ndquadrant(dot)com> writes:
> Just had questions from a replication user about why the .backup file is
> described as "can ordinarily be ignored" and is considered optional by
> recovery also even when pg_start_backup() was used.
What it says is that the second part of the filename can ordinarily
be ignored. I don't know why neither he nor you managed to parse the
sentence correctly. Feel free to propose a rewording, but removing
information doesn't sound like a solution.
regards, tom lane