Re: plPHP and plRuby

Tom Lane wrote:
>> The difference is that I will have reasonable confidence that
>> the README.TXT under "src/pl" will give instructions that match
>> the version of PostgreSQL that I have. I assume that README
>> will call out the version of PL/R or PL/Ruby that I want that
>> was tested with the release of PostgreSQL I have.
>
> On what do you base that assumption? A README file laying about in an
> otherwise unused part of the source tree is the very definition of "out
> of sight, out of mind".

I was hoping it would say something like

PostgreSQL 8.2.0 has been tested with version XX.YY.01 of PL/Whatever
You can install it by getting that release and doing the following.

with specific version numbers rather than links to URLS that would change.

It that wasn't the intent of the README.TXT, I'm not sure what is.

> I can pretty much guarantee you that it will
> NOT get updated, especially not during minor releases. Even if it is up
> to date at the instant we put out a release, it'll be obsolete as soon
> as the external project makes an update release. ISTM links like this
> are far better kept on project websites ...

I was hoping that this README.TXT point to the specific old version
that was tested in much the same way that the old 8.0.0 source tree
continues to have the same PL/pgsql that has always been there.

If the external project updates their release and breaks compatability
I think they should be encouraged to update the README.TXT to say
something like
PostgreSQL 8.2.1 has been tested with PL/Whatever version XX.YY.99
If they don't make that update, the README would
PostgreSQL 8.2.0 has been tested with PL/Whatever version XX.YY.00

>> I would imagine with this README.TXT proposal, it's the responsibility
>> of the PL/XXX developer to port their PL to PostgreSQL during the Beta,
>> and if the did and tested it, the release will point to the version
>> of the PL supported by the PL maintainer for that version.
>
> And if they didn't? I was just noticing that the current release of
> plruby contains installation instructions that appear to date to 7.3.
> If he can't be bothered to update his own docs, what are the odds that
> he'll submit timely updates for a README in the main source tree?

Yeah. Good point. I guess the alternatives are that the README
still say
PostgreSQL 7.3.0 has been tested with PL/Ruby version X.Y.Z
or
We are unaware of up-to-date instructions for PL/Ruby. Good Luck.
Though if you'd welcome people in the community to submit patches
to that README I suspect they'll be updated even more regularly
than 2002 or whenever 7.3 come out.

If I spent time figuring it out, I wouldn't mind submitting a patch
for such a README; and I suspect the other guys who blog about
PL/Ruby installation instructions in late 2005 would be happy to
submit such patches as well.