Re: PostgreSQL 13 RC 1 release announcement draft

On 9/16/20 1:08 AM, Peter Eisentraut wrote:
> On 2020-09-15 18:10, Jonathan S. Katz wrote:
>> To upgrade to PostgreSQL 13 RC 1 from Beta 3 or an earlier version of
>> PostgreSQL 13, you will need to use a strategy similar to upgrading
>> between
>> major versions of PostgreSQL (e.g. `pg_upgrade` or `pg_dump` /
>> `pg_restore`).
>
> Is this correct?  I don't see a catversion change between beta3 and rc1.

We've typically recommended doing the pg_upgrade since they may be
coming from a version with a lower catversion. I can change "you will
need" to "you may need" to be more accurate, but then that leads to the
question "who may need?".

Perhaps the safest way to say it would be:

"To upgrade to PostgreSQL 13 RC 1 from Beta 3 or an earlier version of
PostgreSQL 13, you may need to use a strategy for upgrading between
major versions of PostgreSQL (e.g. `pg_upgrade` or `pg_dump` /
`pg_restore`). If you are unsure of the upgrade strategy to use, we
recommend using the major version upgrade strategy."

(Though, this is why when typically brought up, I leave it at need, as
it's more succinct, and those who are typically upgrading between betas
+ rcs tend to be more in the weeds anyway ;)

> Also, if correct, the word "similar" seems redundant or confusing here.

So if we opt to keep the above language:

"To upgrade to PostgreSQL 13 RC 1 from Beta 3 or an earlier version of
PostgreSQL 13, you will need to use a major version upgrade strategy,
e.g. `pg_upgrade` or `pg_dump` / `pg_restore`."

Jonathan