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A program I wish to distribute uses a postgreql
database. Much thanks to the people on this list who have helped with my
ingained ignorance :)
I keep reading in the list of problems people are
having installing postgresql on MS windows platforms.
I have installed successfully using the "Windows
Proof of Concept" PgSQL731wina1.exe ; which is now over 12 months old provided
the operator logs in as "Administrator"
I really like the idea of having one single install
file and was wondering if this version PgSQL731wina1.exe is going to be upgraded
soon to Postgres 7.4 as a true windows native postgres seems to be months away
at best.
As a backend to the application Postgres has proved
fully sufficient and a rather nice database to use. I have had some performance
related issues that relate to the use of indexes but understand these issues
have been addresses in v7.4. My main operational issue is the lack of a
control panel to handle database re-start-on-crash and provide a visual
confirmation of server status. I is a major worry as I think about handing this
stuff out for others to use.
Also the PgSQL731wina1.exe was 11mb in size and it
would be my hope that the installation files could be a lot smaller. Perhaps if
someone is doing a control panel applet for postgres they could think about
progressive installation. Perhaps initially only some features and the
essentials to run the postmaster are installed. Later the operator can choose to
include documentation and other features, perhaps including links to associated
sites such as pgAdminIII. Such an applet would also allow the settings in
postgresql.conf to be adjusted easily and would signal a running server with
"pg_ctl restart" when closed.
Ah. Sorry. Guess you folks are like me : already
running as fast as you can chasing the tail in front. Give it another 12 months
a postgres will be a beauty.
Anyway apart from installing PgSQL731wina1.exe and
shoving a sock in the thing that does the complaining have people got
suggestions for making the installation process as pain free as possible? What I
dread most is a flood of DB related support calls as users go throught the
learning curve with Postgres. Many of the potential users would have no idea
what a windows "service " is let alone checking to see if it is running. Indeed
the user will want to use the application "out-of-the-box" and generally has
little patience for "tweeking".
best regards
Richard Sydney-Smith
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