Message-ID: <43DF84F8.8010307@archonet.com>
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 15:40:40 +0000
From: Richard Huxton <dev@archonet.com>
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To: Mark Woodward <pgsql@mohawksoft.com>
Cc: Martijn van Oosterhout <kleptog@svana.org>,
	"Jim C. Nasby" <jnasby@pervasive.com>,
	Andrew Dunstan <andrew@dunslane.net>, pgsql-hackers@postgresql.org
Subject: Re: Want to add to contrib.... xmldbx
References: <16397.24.91.171.78.1138558881.squirrel@mail.mohawksoft.com>
	<43DD0997.7050104@dunslane.net>
	<18738.24.91.171.78.1138561487.squirrel@mail.mohawksoft.com>
	<43DD1527.80102@dunslane.net>
	<18674.24.91.171.78.1138565706.squirrel@mail.mohawksoft.com>
	<20060130185709.GY3920@pervasive.com>
	<16461.24.91.171.78.1138656915.squirrel@mail.mohawksoft.com>
	<20060130213526.GE7994@svana.org>
	<16406.24.91.171.78.1138722365.squirrel@mail.mohawksoft.com>
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Mark Woodward wrote:
> 
>> I don't understand what you mean by PostgreSQL trying to be neutral.
>> Postgres focuses on what it's good at, being a database. It's not
>> really for or against anything. The PostgreSQL team is not interested
>> in maintaining code that so clearly falls outside of the scope.
> 
> That is more or less what I'm writing about. I wish people wouldn't take
> it as an insult or slam, because it isn't. (I keep saying, I think
> PostgreSQL is amazing, and I've been using it for about a decade.) The
> source code to PostgreSQL implements a SQL database, the PostgreSQL
> Project defines a community creating and using this database.
> 
> Is the scope "the source code" or is the scope "The Postgresql Project?" I
> think it can be said that getting more people using PostgreSQL is within
> the scope of "The PostgreSQL Project." As the open source model promises,
> we trust that the more people who use PostgreSQL the better off "The
> PostgreSQL Project" will be. The better "The PostgreSQL Project" is,
> theoretically, the more numerous the resources for the project will
> become, makeing the community better able to improve the source code.
> 
> The community is an important part of "scope."

There clearly is a difference, but you started this Mark by asking to 
bundle your xmldbx with the core distribution (into "contrib") - thus 
implying "source code".

Now - there might well be a good argument for an xmldbx package that 
users can one-click install. Since I've got dozens of xxx-pgsql packages 
available this way on my Ubuntu desktop, I'm guessing you're thinking 
more of Windows.

So, if we reword your question: "Is there, or should there be a simple 
way to download and install packages/plugins for PostgreSQL via the 
installer?" Now you've got "No" and "Yes" as your answers, but that's 
got nowt to do with "contrib/".

Of course, there's still the small issue of implementation...
-- 
   Richard Huxton
   Archonet Ltd