Re: [PATCHES] Win32 Event log

OK, I have updated the release announcement to exclude mention of NT4:

Win32 Native Server

This is the first PostgreSQL release to natively run on Microsoft
Windows as a server. It can run as a Windows service. This release
supports NT-based Windows releases like Win2000, XP, Win2003. Older
releases like Windows 95, 98, and ME are not supported because these
operating systems do not have the infrastructure to support PostgreSQL.
A separate installer project has been created to ease installation on
Windows: http://pgfoundry.org/projects/pginstaller.

We use the word "like" and list supported OS's, so it isn't implied to
be an exclusive list.

When we get to the official supported ports list, we can see if we get
NT4 tested and document any problems there.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dave Page wrote:
> Everything is still as I stated below AFAIK.
>
> /D
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Bruce Momjian [mailto:pgman(at)candle(dot)pha(dot)pa(dot)us]
> > Sent: 18 August 2004 04:27
> > To: Dave Page
> > Cc: Andrew Dunstan; pgsql-hackers-win32
> > Subject: Re: [pgsql-hackers-win32] [PATCHES] Win32 Event log
> >
> >
> > OK, where are we now on the NT4 support issue? Do we need to
> > modify the 8.0 release announcement?
> >
> > --------------------------------------------------------------
> > -------------
> >
> > Dave Page wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Bruce Momjian [mailto:pgman(at)candle(dot)pha(dot)pa(dot)us]
> > > > Sent: 13 August 2004 03:59
> > > > To: Dave Page
> > > > Cc: Andrew Dunstan; pgsql-hackers-win32
> > > > Subject: Re: [pgsql-hackers-win32] [PATCHES] Win32 Event log
> > > >
> > > > (http://www.serverwatch.com/tutorials/article.php/10825_2239651_3
> > > > for
> > > > > further analyis). Therefore, attempts to create
> > tablespaces will
> > > > > probably cause a crash.
> > > >
> > > > Can't we fix such a _hypothetical_ crash when someone finally
> > > > reports it?
> > > > In fact I bet we aren't going to be able to prevent folks from
> > > > running on NT4 anyway so we will have to fix it.
> > >
> > > On further examination of Andreas' patch, it doesn't use an
> > APIs that
> > > aren't in NT4 as far as I can see, instead it uses existing
> > functions
> > > (such as DeviceIoControl), but with control codes like
> > > FSCTL_SET_REPARSE_POINT which are *not* in NT. As far as I can tell
> > > without spending time I don't have on it, symlink creation
> > will fail
> > > gracefully and as long as the create tablespace code can
> > handle that,
> > > it should be pretty clean.
> > >
> > > > If the installer can't run on NT4 SP4, that is an
> > installer issue.
> > > > I don't see why we should label the base source code as
> > not working
> > > > on it.
> > >
> > > Because the vast majority of Windows users *will not* compile from
> > > source, they will use the installer. If press releases go
> > out saying
> > > it supports NT4 and we do get a ton of downloads from NT users, we
> > > will end up with a correspopnding flood of emails and bug
> > reports. End
> > > users will not see the difference between the source, and the
> > > precompiled binary, even if we do see them as separate projects.
> > >
> > > > If it doesn't have symlinks, fine, no tablespaces. I
> > will update the
> > > > release notes to mention the installer doesn't run on NT4.
> > > >
> > > > Basically, we can't turn the PostgreSQL ship on a dime.
> > If we come
> > > > out and say NT4 doesn't work, the someone else appears
> > and gets it
> > > > working, it is harder to communicate that. I don't want to be
> > > > adding/removing
> > > > NT4 based on untested ideas.
> > >
> > > The installer issue is not untested - I got a bug report
> > about it this
> > > morning. The table spaces issue is, but as no-one here
> > seems to have
> > > NT4 we can't test it. We also cannot reasonably support a platform
> > > that none of us have access to.
> > >
> > > By all means note that the base code will compile and run without
> > > tablespaces on NT4, but please do not announce that it's an
> > official
> > > supported platform.
> > >
> > > Regards, Dave.
> > >
> >
> > --
> > Bruce Momjian | http://candle.pha.pa.us
> > pgman(at)candle(dot)pha(dot)pa(dot)us | (610) 359-1001
> > + If your life is a hard drive, | 13 Roberts Road
> > + Christ can be your backup. | Newtown Square,
> > Pennsylvania 19073
> >
>

--
Bruce Momjian | http://candle.pha.pa.us
pgman(at)candle(dot)pha(dot)pa(dot)us | (610) 359-1001
+ If your life is a hard drive, | 13 Roberts Road
+ Christ can be your backup. | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073