Re: PostgreSQL still for Linux only?

Tope Akinniyi wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I am wondering at this display of extreme Linux mentality being
> displayed by the 'top bras' of the PostgreSQL community. And I ask,
> are we encouraging Windows use of PostgreSQL at all?

At the moment? There are some known issues... Bear in mind that the
Windows port is quite new, and much less tested than on other platforms.

>
> Take a look at tools being rolled out at PgFoundry on daily basis; all
> for Linux except the Windows installer. I ask myself what is being
> done to encourage PostgreSQL Windows users. Nothing is available to
> them except the Database and PgAdmin. No replication tool, no this,
> no that.
>

I would assume that most of the Linux-only tools would work equally well
on AIX, Solaris, *BSD, IRIX, etc. Not sure what you mean by Linux....

>
> Sorry for this: Firebird provides equal tools for Linux and Windows
> users. We are not the one to tell the Windows users whether they need
> them.

Until 8.0, PostgreSQL was not available natively on Windows. If you
wanted to run it on Windows prior, you had to install it via Cygwin (a
POSIX emulation layer). So the fact that there are few tools is mostly
due to the newness of the software on that platform. Give it some time,
and the tools will be ported.

>
> Whether Windows is bad or good; Linux is the angel and Windows the
> devil is not the issue here. PostgreSQL has gone the Windows way and
> must not be shown to be deficient.
>

Again give it some time.

However, as a second point, I would point out that *I* would never run
production databases on Windows. This is because I don't trust the
platform not to crash and mess up my data, and my data is worth the best
hardware and software. PostgreSQL on Windows is, however, nice for
developers who want to run it on their development efforts. But YMMV.
And again, this is not the reason for the dearth of tools, but something
to think about when deploying a solution.

Best Wishes,
Chris Travers
Metatron Technology Consulting