Re: DRAFT: v7.3 Release Announcement

Shane, thank you - those are great catches and suggestions.

Josh Berkus raised some serious concerns about the focus,
so there are some larger decisions on whether it should go
forward in this form with some additions and changes that
will help it with the press that he knows, or if it needs to
go through a major rewrite - but your observations are very
relevant for either direction.

How about:
Version 7.3 improvements make the choice of PostgreSQL an even easier
decision.
(my objective for that sentence is to acknowledge there are other
'choices', but really only one intelligent 'decision'...)

I really like the change you suggested wrt the ISOC quote, less
is often more.

Justin has done a remarkable job in chasing down companies who
are willing to confirm their choice of PostgreSQL, so we've got
much more ammunition - I picked this selection because collectively
it supports the business case for PostgreSQL on performance, price,
scalability, complexity, usability, international installed base,
and diversity of applications supported.

There is an abundance of advice and disagreement on the length
that a good release should be, to get maximum attention and
exposure. I've found that a word count between 500 and 800
is usually effective. This one is in the 650 to 700 word range.

--Geoff

> Shane McChesney wrote:
>
> Geoff,
>
> Well done, I think this is great.
>
> Minor copy tweaks, suggestions only, hopefully not too pedantic:
>
> --======--
>
> In this passage, "again" connotes that it wasn't good for a while
> there or something:
>
> From:
> proudly announces that the "best is better again"
> To:
> proudly announces that "The best has gotten even better!"
>
> --======--
>
> The phrase "decision to choose" sounds off to me:
>
> From:
> With the release of v7.3 the decision to choose PostgreSQL
> To:
> With the release of v7.3 the decision to adopt PostgreSQL
> Or:
> With the release of v7.3 the decision to use PostgreSQL
> Or:
> With the release of v7.3 the decision to try PostgreSQL
>
> --======--
>
> If we do pare back the # of quotes in this release (saving ammo for
> future releases can't hurt) I'd keep the Afilias one and narrow the
> first sentence thusly:
>
> From:
> We believe that the key point relating to databases for the .ORG
> redelegation is not which database the operator is using, but,
> rather, whether the database will support the .ORG registry in a
> stable, scalable, and highly available manner.
>
> To:
> We believe that the key point relating to databases for the .ORG
> redelegation is... whether the database will support the .ORG
> registry in a stable, scalable, and highly available manner.
>
> --======--
>
> That's all I see for now...
>
> Thanks,
>
> Shane McChesney
> President,
> Wesearch Information Services Inc.
>
> Site: http://www.wesearchis.com
> Weblog: http://www.skippingdot.net
>
> On Sun, 27 Oct 2002 10:13:21 -0500, Geoff Davidson wrote:
> >Good morning!
> >
> >As requested, I've put together a draft proposal for this
> >announcement of the upcoming release.
> >
> >This is clearly done with an advocacy based sales & marketing spin.
> >It follows sales.org's proven 6 'Power Opening©' steps (of course):
> >1. Who you are (PGDG)
> >2. What you're selling (PostgreSQL)
> >3. What's In It for Them (free alternative to commercial solutions)
> >4. Why should they believe you (third party quotes/endorsements)
> >5. Expectations (changes in this release, making it even better!)
> >6. Process (Where to go and get the code or more info)
> >
> >Feel free to change and improve any of the content as you wish, I'm
> >not burdened by any ego issues wrt pride in authorship, even if you
> >decide to throw it out and start over ;)
> >
> >--Geoff
> >
> >-----
> >
> >For Immediate Release November 1st,
> >2002
> >
> >PostgreSQL Global Development Group Announces Version 7.3
> >
> >PostgreSQL, the world's most advanced open source database, provides
> >solutions for many of the most demanding applications in use today,
> >saving business and government millions of dollars each year. The
> >PostgreSQL Global Development Group proudly announces that the "best
> >is better again" with the release of the freely available PostgreSQL
> >v7.3 object-relational database management system (ORDBMS).
> >
> >With more than 16 years of development by hundreds of the world's
> >most generous and brilliant minds from the open source community,
> >PostgreSQL continues to make the decision between free software and
> >commercial databases "a simple choice between open source or an open
> >wallet." Many companies and agencies can no longer afford the high
> >costs and constantly changing terms of licensed commercial software
> >- making PostgreSQL one of the most highly sought after free
> >technologies in the market today. With the release of v7.3 the
> >decision to choose PostgreSQL will be even easier.
> >
> >Here is what some current PostgreSQL users have gone on record to
> >say about this technology:
> >
> >"We believe that the key point relating to databases for the .ORG
> >redelegation is not which database the operator is using, but,
> >rather, whether the database will support the .ORG registry in a
> >stable, scalable, and highly available manner.
> >...over a year of experience...clearly demonstrates that the
> >PostgreSQL database used by Afilias performs at the level of
> >reliability and availability required for the mission critical
> >operations of a global gTLD registry." Internet Society (ISOC)
> >
> >"PostgreSQL has scaled perfectly with our rapidly expanding
> >business, and we recommend it over every other DB." TrustCommerce,
> >California
> >
> >"PgMarket has been developed around PostgreSQL because of its
> >unmatched performance, features, price, and scalability. It is the
> >best possible database for enterprise e-commerce." Fitcom srl, Italy
> > "PostgreSQL provided sales.org with a solution that was $70,000
> >less expensive to create, and over 70% lower in cost to operate and
> >maintain than any of the commercial DBMS offerings we looked at."
> >sales.org Inc., Toronto
> >
> >"PostgreSQL handles virtually all the standard SQL constructs.
> >
> >It is easy (relatively speaking) to administer, it is fast, it is
> >efficient, it has a great API, and it supports ODBC, why would you
> >choose something else?" Mohawk Software, Massachusetts
> >
> >"... selected PostgreSQL as one of the key components for their
> >solution, relying on the power and extensibility of the database
> >even under heavy load." Vanten, K.K., Tokyo
> >
> >
> >Additions & improvements in Version 7.3 release include:
> >
> >SCHEMAS Schemas allow users to create objects in their own namespace
> >so two people or applications can have tables with the same name.
> >There is also a public schema for shared tables.
> >Table/index creation can be restricted by removing permissions on
> >the public schema
> >
> >Drop Column Now supports ALTER TABLE ... DROP COLUMN functionality.
> >
> >Table Functions Functions returning multiple rows and/or multiple
> >columns are now much easier to use than before. The "table function"
> >can be called in the SELECT FROM clause, treating its output like a
> >table. Also, plpgsql functions can now return sets.
> >
> >Prepared Queries For performance, PostgreSQL now supports prepared
> >queries.
> >
> >Dependency Tracking PostgreSQL now records object dependencies,
> >which allows improvements in many areas.
> >
> >Privileges Functions & procedural languages now have privileges.
> >People running these can take on the privileges of their creators.
> >
> >Multibyte/Locale Both multibyte and locale are now always enabled.
> >
> >Logging A variety of logging options have been enhanced.
> >
> >Interfaces A large number of interfaces have been moved to
> >http://gborg.postgresql.org where they can be developed and released
> >independently.
> >
> >Functions/Identifiers By default, functions can now take up to 32
> >parameters, and identifiers can be up to 63 bytes long.
> >
> >Along with many many more enhancements, bug fixes and performance
> >related changes from v7.2 ...
> >
> >Source for this release is available on all mirrors under:
> >/pub/source/v7.3
> >
> >More information on PostgreSQL is available on the project websites
> >mirrored worldwide through: http://www.postgresql.org
> >
> >A complete list of changes in v7.3 can be found in the HISTORY
> >
> >file, included with the release, or available from all ftp mirrors
> >as: /pub/README.v7_3
> >
> >Marc G. Fournier Co-ordinator PostgreSQL Global Development Group
> >
> >---------------------------(end of broadcast)
> >------------------------
> >---