On Tue, 2005-03-08 at 21:24, Tope Akinniyi wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I am wondering at this display of extreme Linux mentality being
> displayed by the 'top bras' of the PostgreSQL community. And I ask,
> are we encouraging Windows use of PostgreSQL at all?
>
> Take a look at tools being rolled out at PgFoundry on daily basis; all
> for Linux except the Windows installer. I ask myself what is being
> done to encourage PostgreSQL Windows users. Nothing is available to
> them except the Database and PgAdmin. No replication tool, no this,
> no that.
>
> I was troubled when CommandPrompt, the leading Windows support
> provider responded to a post that their plPHP is for Linux only.
>
> Sorry for this: Firebird provides equal tools for Linux and Windows
> users. We are not the one to tell the Windows users whether they need
> them.
>
> Whether Windows is bad or good; Linux is the angel and Windows the
> devil is not the issue here. PostgreSQL has gone the Windows way and
> must not be shown to be deficient.
>
> I am not holding anybody responsible, but I think we need to do a
> massive re-orientation of the community not to carry the Linux-Windows
> game too far.
I think you misunderstand the basic open source model. People get an
itch, they scratch it.
Right now, there are very few postgresql on windows users, because it is
so new. There are lots and lots of postgresql on UNIX (not just linux
btw) folks. So, there are more people scratching itches on unix than on
windows. As the number of Windows users grows, the number of folks who
feel a need to port things originally written for unix will grow.
At my last company, they brought in a (possibly clinically insane) CIO
who decided that all this Unix stuff was outdated, and hey, it worked at
my subdivision of 20 IT and 200 sales staff at my last company, so it
ought to work here with 300 IT and 200 other folks, right? So, my buddy
who is unfortunately still stuck there has had to port all of our
internal apps to run on windows, and the port of postgresql to windows
was a great help for him.
He's one of those people we may find scratching an itch some day. But
it's organic, it happens when it happens. Who knows, one day one of the
core postgresql developers might be a windows expert.
I'm quite certain that if you see something that doesn't work on
windows, and you do make it work on windows, your patches for that
something will likely be accepted with grace. But the unix users aren't
going to install windows just to do it for you and the other windows
users. They have other things to do. Give it time...