Re: improve routine vacuuming docs

Peter Eisentraut <peter_e(at)gmx(dot)net> writes:
> It's kind of hard to see what you have really changed. Can you
> provide a summary?

The majority of the changes are in the 3rd patch hunk; ISTM it is
pretty easy to see what has been changed. I spent more time discussing
the differences between VACUUM and VACUUM FULL, added a note that some
update-intensive sites VACUUM as frequently as every five minutes, and
so on.

> You should <command>VACUUM</command> your database every day.
>
> Instead, either write
>
> You should vacuum your database every day.

Well, my reasoning was that the phrase "VACUUM", particularly when
typeset as a command, has an exact technical meaning within the
context of PostgreSQL. It is derived from the English word "vacuum",
but our usage of the term differs significantly from any definition
you'd find in a normal dictionary. For example, I don't think this is
optimal:

The presence of a for update trigger on the table [...]

(To invent a random example) I think this is clearer:

The presence of a <literal>FOR UPDATE</literal> trigger on the
table [...]

Here, the PG-specific term is differently typeset and capitalized.

However, I Am Not A Technical Writer, so I may be completely
wrong. BTW, can anyone recommend a good book on technical writing in
English?

-Neil