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Subject: Re: PostgreSQL Configuration Tool for Dummies
From: Adam Tauno Williams <adamtaunowilliams@gmail.com>
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To: pgsql-performance@postgresql.org
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Content-Type: text/plain
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2007 08:05:46 -0400
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On Fri, 2007-06-22 at 02:32 -0400, Greg Smith wrote:
> On Thu, 21 Jun 2007, Scott Marlowe wrote:
> 
> > Generally I agree, however, how about a first switch, for beginner / 
> > intermediate / advanced.
> 
> You're describing a perfectly reasonable approach for a second generation 
> tool in this area.  I think it would be very helpful for the user 
> community to get a first generation one that works fairly well before 
> getting distracted at all by things like this.  The people capable of 
> filling out the intermediate/advanced settings can probably just do a bit 
> of reading and figure out most of what they should be doing themselves.

Just as an aside; how come the installation/setup "Tutorial" section -
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.2/interactive/tutorial-start.html -
doesn't mention setting some rough reasonable defaults in
postgresql.conf or even a reference to the parameter documentation
section.  It seems like such a reference should exist between -
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.2/interactive/tutorial-arch.html - and
- http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.2/interactive/tutorial-accessdb.html

At least something along those lines should be said at
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.2/interactive/install-post.html

Personally, as DBA for more than a decade,  I've got 0 sympathy for
people who setup a database but can't be bothered to read the
documentation.  But in the case of PostgreSQL the documentation could do
a better job of driving users to even the existence [and importance of]
postgresql.conf and routine maintenance techniques.
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.2/interactive/runtime-config.html
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.2/interactive/maintenance.html

Seems to me that even a remake of something like -
http://www.iiug.org/~waiug/old/forum2000/SQLTunning/sld001.htm - focused
on PostgreSQL would be novel and very interesting.

Just my two cents.  

PostgreSQL is awesome, BTW.