mirrors
/
postgres
mirror of https://github.com/postgres/postgres
1
0
Fork 0
Code Issues Packages Projects Releases Wiki Activity

Some suggestions to clarify the current status of PostgreSQL. Patch 

attached.

Fred Horch
This commit is contained in:
Bruce Momjian 1999-06-21 15:12:19 +00:00
parent 1f2c6f4f48
commit 8baa8fcf46
1 changed files with 71 additions and 58 deletions
Show Stats Download Patch File Download Diff File Expand all files Collapse all files

129
doc/src/sgml/history.sgml
View File

@ -1,6 +1,18 @@
<Sect1> <Sect1>
<Title>A Short History of <ProductName>Postgres</ProductName></Title> <Title>A Short History of <ProductName>Postgres</ProductName></Title>
<Para>
The Object-Relational Database Management System now known as
<ProductName>PostgreSQL</ProductName> was originally called
<ProductName>Postgres</ProductName>, and briefly called
<ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName>. With over a decade of
development behind it, <ProductName>PostgreSQL</ProductName>
is the most advanced open-source database available anywhere,
offering multi-version concurrency control and supporting almost
all SQL constructs, including subselects, transactions, and
user-defined types and functions.
</Para>
<Sect2> <Sect2>
<Title>The Berkeley <ProductName>Postgres</ProductName> Project</Title> <Title>The Berkeley <ProductName>Postgres</ProductName> Project</Title>
@ -37,8 +49,8 @@ and Version 2 was
Version 3 appeared in 1991 and added support for multiple Version 3 appeared in 1991 and added support for multiple
storage managers, an improved query executor, and a storage managers, an improved query executor, and a
rewritten rewrite rule system. For the most part, rewritten rewrite rule system. For the most part,
releases since then have focused on portability and releases until <ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName> (see below)
reliability. focused on portability and reliability.
</Para> </Para>
<Para> <Para>
@ -70,7 +82,7 @@ and Version 2 was
ended with Version 4.2. ended with Version 4.2.
</Para> </Para>
</Sect2> </Sect2>
<Sect2> <Sect2>
<Title><ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName></Title> <Title><ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName></Title>
@ -79,77 +91,75 @@ In 1994,
<ULink url="mailto:ayu@informix.com">Andrew Yu</ULink> <ULink url="mailto:ayu@informix.com">Andrew Yu</ULink>
and and
<ULink url="http://http.cs.berkeley.edu/~jolly/">Jolly Chen</ULink> <ULink url="http://http.cs.berkeley.edu/~jolly/">Jolly Chen</ULink>
added a SQL language interpreter to <ProductName>Postgres</ProductName>, added a SQL language interpreter to <ProductName>Postgres</ProductName>.
and the code was subsequently released to <ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName> was subsequently released to
the Web to find its own way in the world. the Web to find its own way in the world as a public-domain,
<ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName> was a public-domain, open source descendant open source descendant of the original <ProductName>Postgres</ProductName>
of this original Berkeley code. Berkeley code.
</Para> </Para>
<Para> <Para>
<ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName> is a derivative of the last official release <ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName> code was completely
of <ProductName>Postgres</ProductName> (version 4.2). The code is now completely ANSI C and trimmed in size by 25%. Many
ANSI C and the code size has been trimmed by 25%. There internal changes improved performance and maintainability.
are a lot of internal changes that improve performance <ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName> v1.0.x ran about 30-50%
and code maintainability. faster on the Wisconsin Benchmark compared to
<ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName> v1.0.x runs about 30-50% <ProductName>Postgres</ProductName> v4.2.
faster on the Wisconsin Benchmark compared to v4.2. Apart from bug fixes, these were the major enhancements:
Apart from bug fixes, these are the major enhancements:
<ItemizedList> <ItemizedList>
<ListItem> <ListItem>
<Para> <Para>
The query language <ProductName>Postquel</ProductName> has been replaced with The query language <ProductName>Postquel</ProductName> was replaced with
<Acronym>SQL</Acronym> (implemented in the server). We do not yet support <Acronym>SQL</Acronym> (implemented in the server). Subqueries were not supported until <ProductName>PostgreSQL</ProductName> (see below), but they
subqueries (which can be imitated with user defined could be imitated in <ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName> with user-defined
<Acronym>SQL</Acronym> functions). Aggregates have been <Acronym>SQL</Acronym> functions. Aggregates were
re-implemented. We also added support for ``GROUP BY''. re-implemented. Support for ``GROUP BY'' was also added.
The <FileName>libpq</FileName> interface is still available for <Acronym>C</Acronym> The <FileName>libpq</FileName> interface remained available for <Acronym>C</Acronym>
programs. programs.
</Para> </Para>
</ListItem> </ListItem>
<ListItem> <ListItem>
<Para> <Para>
In addition to the monitor program, we provide a new In addition to the monitor program, a new program
program (<Application>psql</Application>) which supports <Acronym>GNU</Acronym> <FileName>readline</FileName>. (<Application>psql</Application>) was provided for interactive SQL queries
using <Acronym>GNU</Acronym> <FileName>readline</FileName>.
</Para> </Para>
</ListItem> </ListItem>
<ListItem> <ListItem>
<Para> <Para>
We added a new front-end library, <FileName>libpgtcl</FileName>, that A new front-end library, <FileName>libpgtcl</FileName>,
supports <Acronym>Tcl</Acronym>-based clients. A sample shell, supported <Acronym>Tcl</Acronym>-based clients. A sample shell,
pgtclsh, provides new Tcl commands to interface <Application>tcl</Application> pgtclsh, provided new Tcl commands to interface <Application>tcl</Application>
programs with the <ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName> backend. programs with the <ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName> backend.
</Para> </Para>
</ListItem> </ListItem>
<ListItem> <ListItem>
<Para> <Para>
The large object interface has been overhauled. We The large object interface was overhauled. The Inversion large objects were
kept Inversion large objects as the only mechanism the only mechanism for storing large objects.
for storing large objects. (This is not to be (The Inversion file system was removed.)
confused with the Inversion file system which has been
removed.)
</Para> </Para>
</ListItem> </ListItem>
<ListItem> <ListItem>
<Para> <Para>
The instance-level rule system has been removed. The instance-level rule system was removed.
Rules are still available as rewrite rules. Rules were still available as rewrite rules.
</Para> </Para>
</ListItem> </ListItem>
<ListItem> <ListItem>
<Para> <Para>
A short tutorial introducing regular <Acronym>SQL</Acronym> features as A short tutorial introducing regular <Acronym>SQL</Acronym> features as
well as those of ours is distributed with the source well as those of <ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName> was
code. distributed with the source code.
</Para> </Para>
</ListItem> </ListItem>
<ListItem> <ListItem>
<Para> <Para>
<Acronym>GNU</Acronym> make (instead of <Acronym>BSD</Acronym> make) is used for the <Acronym>GNU</Acronym> make (instead of <Acronym>BSD</Acronym> make) was used
build. Also, <ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName> can be compiled with an for the build. Also, <ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName> could be
unpatched <ProductName>gcc</ProductName> (data alignment of doubles has been compiled with an unpatched <ProductName>gcc</ProductName>
fixed). (data alignment of doubles was fixed).
</Para> </Para>
</ListItem> </ListItem>
</ItemizedList> </ItemizedList>
@ -160,36 +170,39 @@ and code maintainability.
<Title><ProductName>PostgreSQL</ProductName></Title> <Title><ProductName>PostgreSQL</ProductName></Title>
<Para> <Para>
By 1996, it became clear that the name <Quote>Postgres95</Quote> would not stand By 1996, it became clear that the name <Quote>Postgres95</Quote> would
the test of time. A new name, <ProductName>PostgreSQL</ProductName>, not stand the test of time. We chose a new name,
was chosen to reflect the <ProductName>PostgreSQL</ProductName>, to reflect the relationship
relationship between original <ProductName>Postgres</ProductName> between the original <ProductName>Postgres</ProductName> and the more
and the more recent recent versions with <Acronym>SQL</Acronym> capability. At the same
versions with <Acronym>SQL</Acronym> capability. time, we set the version numbering to start at 6.0, putting the
At the same time, the version numbering numbers back into the sequence originally begun by the
was reset to start at 6.0, <ProductName>Postgres</ProductName> Project.
putting the numbers back into the sequence originally begun by
the <ProductName>Postgres</ProductName> Project.
</Para> </Para>
<Para> <Para>
The emphasis on development for the v1.0.x releases of The emphasis during development of <ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName>
<ProductName>Postgres95</ProductName> was on identifying and understanding existing problems in the backend code.
was on stabilizing the backend code. With <ProductName>PostgreSQL</ProductName>,
With the v6.x series of <ProductName>PostgreSQL</ProductName>, the emphasis has shifted to augmenting features and capabilities, although
the emphasis has shifted from
identifying and understanding existing problems in the backend
to augmenting features and capabilities, although
work continues in all areas. work continues in all areas.
</Para> </Para>
<Para> <Para>
Major enhancements include: Major enhancements in <ProductName>PostgreSQL</ProductName> include:
</Para> </Para>
<ItemizedList> <ItemizedList>
<ListItem> <ListItem>
<Para> <Para>
Table-level locking has been replaced with multi-version concurrency control,
which allows readers to continue reading consistent data during writer activity
and enables hot backups from pg_dump while the database stays available for
queries.
</Para>
</ListItem>
<ListItem>
<Para>
Important backend features, including subselects, defaults, Important backend features, including subselects, defaults,
constraints, and triggers, have been implemented. constraints, and triggers, have been implemented.
</Para> </Para>