Compiling PostgreSQL under Windows (for use with R package).

Hi all,

I'm a (mature) student and I'm interested in exploring the use
of PostgreSQL with the R statistical programming package.

I'm particularly interested in performance for different statistical
problems (I/O intensive/CPU intensive/RAM intensive) with
different compiler options and/or flags.

I'm also interested in benchmarking with "ordinary" hardware - i.e.
John/Joan Doe's laptop, rather than the normal 512GB RAM/SAN
array systems we nomally read about in benchmarks.

I've just compiled PostgreSQL under "pure" Cygwin and also using
mingw-64. Now, under both of these systems I have been able to
perform basic tests - create database/create table/insert into...
and that's worked fine.

I know that up till (is it a decade now?) recently, PostgreSQL wasn't
the most windows-friendly - Cygwin was mandatory (possibly the
reason why (only for the moment hopefully!) MySQL is the
most popular Open Source database.

Anyway, I'm just wondering am I wasting my time working with
Mingw-64 and and/or Cygwin for PostgreSQL. Should I would just
be better off with the "native" Windows system.

By "native", I mean one compiled using Microsoft Visual C++,
which I understand is the system used for the offcial builds
(http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.4/static/install-windows.html).

I would be interested in hearing opinions - particularly those with
any references (student dissertation - want something concrete),
so, anyone who wants to weigh in with references, URLs - anything.

Should anyone require any further information, please don't hesitate
to ask.

TIA and rgs,

Paul...