Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:00:38 -0400
From: Robert Treat <xzilla@users.sourceforge.net>
Subject: Re: Overhauling GUCS
In-reply-to: <0315F14C-DDE3-47AA-A76E-B04B0430464D@kineticode.com>
To: pgsql-hackers@postgresql.org
Cc: "David E. Wheeler" <david@kineticode.com>,
	Gregory Stark <stark@enterprisedb.com>, "Josh Berkus" <josh@agliodbs.com>
Message-id: <200806061300.38871.xzilla@users.sourceforge.net>
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References: <48409D1E.3070208@agliodbs.com>
 <87tzgejmeh.fsf@oxford.xeocode.com>
	<0315F14C-DDE3-47AA-A76E-B04B0430464D@kineticode.com>
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On Saturday 31 May 2008 17:34:27 David E. Wheeler wrote:
> On May 31, 2008, at 12:36, Gregory Stark wrote:
> > What this sounds like is a sly way to try to get rid of
> > postgresql.conf
> > entirely and replace it with parameters stored in the database so
> > admins would
> > adjust the parameters using an SQL syntax rather than a text file.
> >
> > There are pros and cons of such a system but I think for newbie
> > admins that
> > would be a thousand times *more* baffling. You would have to learn new
> > commands and have no holistic view of what parameters had been set,
> > what
> > related parameters might exist. You also have no way to keep the
> > file in a
> > version control system or sync across servers etc.
>
> FWIW, this has not been a barrier to MySQL adoption.
>

agreed. using sql like syntax is often a more familiar operation than editing 
a text file for DBAs.  Consider the number of DBA's that manage other DB's 
strictly through graphical interfaces (something we are rather lacking in 
ability to do comparativly).  consider also that if this is built atop the 
current pg_settings, all the normal sql tools can still help... ie. 
pg_dump -t if you want to check something into svn. 

-- 
Robert Treat
Build A Brighter LAMP :: Linux Apache {middleware} PostgreSQL