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Last updated: Wed Jun 11 10:44:40 EDT 1997 Version: 6.1.1
Current maintainer: Bruce Momjian ( maillist@candle.pha.pa.us)
The most recent version of this document can be viewed at the postgreSQL Web site, http://www.postgreSQL.org
Linux-specific questions are answered in http://www.postgreSQL.org/docs/FAQ-Linux.phtml
Irix-specific questions are answered in http://www.postgreSQL.org/docs/FAQ-Irix.phtml
Changes in this version (* = modified, + = new):
* 3.42) What is Genetic Query Optimization? * 3.43) I am running Solaris and my dates display wrong. Why?
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PostgreSQL is an enhancement of the POSTGRES database management system, a next-generation DBMS research prototype. While PostgreSQL retains the powerful data model and rich data types of POSTGRES, it replaces the PostQuel query language with an extended subset of SQL. PostgreSQL is free and the complete source is available.
PostgreSQL development is being performed by a team of Internet developers who all subscribe to the PostgreSQL development mailing list. The current coordinator is Marc G. Fournier ( scrappy@postgreSQL.org). (See below on how to join). This team is now responsible for all current and future development of PostgreSQL.
The authors of PostgreSQL 1.01 were Andrew Yu and Jolly Chen. Many others have contributed to the porting, testing, debugging and enhancement of the code. The original Postgres code, from which PostgreSQL is derived, was the effort of many graduate students, undergraduate students, and staff programmers working under the direction of Professor Michael Stonebraker at the University of California, Berkeley.
The original name of the software at Berkeley was Postgres. When SQL functionality was added in 1995, its name was changed to Postgres95. The name was changed at the end of 1996 to PostgreSQL.
The authors have compiled and tested PostgreSQL on the following platforms(some of these compiles require gcc 2.7.0):
* aix - IBM on AIX 3.2.5
* alpha - DEC Alpha AXP on OSF/1 2.0
* BSD44_derived - OSs derived from 4.4-lite BSD (NetBSD, FreeBSD)
* bsdi - BSD/OS 2.0, 2.01, 2.1, 3.0
* dgux - DG/UX 5.4R3.10
* hpux - HP PA-RISC on HP-UX 9.0
* i386_solaris - i386 Solaris
* irix5 - SGI MIPS on IRIX 5.3
* linux - Intel x86 on Linux 1.2 and Linux ELF (For non-ELF Linux, see LINUX_ELF below).
* sparc_solaris - SUN SPARC on Solaris 2.4
* sunos4 - SUN SPARC on SunOS 4.1.3
* svr4 - Intel x86 on Intel SVR4 * ultrix4 - DEC MIPS on Ultrix 4.4
The following platforms have known problems/bugs:
* nextstep - Motorola MC68K or Intel x86 on NeXTSTEP 3.2
The primary anonymous ftp site for PostgreSQL is:
* ftp://ftp.postgreSQL.org/pub
A mirror site exists at:
* ftp://postgres95.vnet.net/pub/postgres95 * ftp://ftp.luga.or.at/pub/postgres95 * ftp://cal011111.student.utwente.nl/pub/postgres95 * ftp://ftp.uni-trier.de/pub/database/rdbms/postgres/postgres95 * ftp://rocker.sch.bme.hu
PostgreSQL is subject to the following COPYRIGHT.
PostgreSQL Data Base Management System
Copyright (c) 1994-6 Regents of the University of California
Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its documentation for any purpose, without fee, and without a written agreement is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice and this paragraph and the following two paragraphs appear in all copies.
IN NO EVENT SHALL THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BE LIABLE TO ANY PARTY FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE AND ITS DOCUMENTATION, EVEN IF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE SOFTWARE PROVIDED HEREUNDER IS ON AN "AS IS" BASIS, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA HAS NO OBLIGATIONS TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE, SUPPORT, UPDATES, ENHANCEMENTS, OR MODIFICATIONS.
There is no official support for PostgreSQL from the original maintainers or from University of California, Berkeley. It is maintained through volunteer effort only.
The main mailing list is: questions@postgreSQL.org. It is available for discussion o f matters pertaining to PostgreSQL, including but not limited to bug reports and fixes. For info on how to subscribe, send a mail with the lines in the body (not the subject line)
subscribe end
to questions-request@postgreSQL.org.
There is also a digest list available. To subscribe to this list, send email to: questions-digest-request@postgreSQL.org with a BODY of:
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Digests are sent out to members of this list whenever the main list has received around 30k of messages.
There is a bugs mailing list available. To subscribe to this list, send email to bugs-request@postgreSQL.org with a BODY of:
There is also a developers discussion mailing list available. To subscribe to this list, send email to hackers-request@postgreSQL.org with a BODY of:
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Additional information about PostgreSQL can be found via the PostgreSQL WWW home page at:
The latest release of PostgreSQL is version 6.0, which was released on January 31, 1997. 6.1 is scheduled for release soon. For information about what is new in 6.1, see our TODO list on our WWW page.
We expect a 7.0 release in several months that will remove time-travel and reduce by 50 % the size of on-disk system columns maintained for each row in a table. This release will also require a dump and restore.
Illustra Information Technology (a wholly owned subsidiary of Informix Software, Inc.) sells an object-relational DBMS called Illustra that was originally based on postgres. Illustra has cosmetic similarities to PostgreSQL but has more features, is more robust, performs better, and offers real documentation and support. On the flip side, it costs money. For more information, contact sales@illustra.com
A user manual, manual pages, and some small test examples are included in the distribution. The sql and built-in manual pages are particularly important.
The www page contains pointers to an implementation guide and five papers written about postgres design concepts and features.
PostgreSQL supports a subset of SQL-92. It has most of the important constructs but lacks some of the functionality. The most visible differences are:
* no support for nested subqueries * no HAVING clause under a GROUP BY
On the other hand, you get to create user-defined types, functions, inheritance etc. If you're willing to help with PostgreSQL coding, eventually we can also add the missing features listed above.
PostgreSQL v1.09 is compatible with databases created with v1.01. Those upgrading from 1.0 should read the directions in the MIGRATION_1.0_TO_1.02 directory.
Upgrading to 6.0 requires a dump and restore from previous releases.
Upgrading to 6.1 requires a dump and restore from previous releases.
Those ugrading from versions earlier than 1.09 must upgrade to 1.09 first without a dump/reload, then dump the data from 1.09, and then load it into 6.0 or 6.1.
Since we don't have any licensing or registration scheme, it's impossible to tell. We do know hundreds copies of PostgreSQL v1.* have been downloaded, and that there many hundreds of subscribers to the mailing lists.
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