"Jim C. Nasby" <jimn@enterprisedb.com> writes:
> Then we should change autovacuum so that it stays out of the way when
> tables are being vacuumed frequently enough via an external means.
What makes you think it doesn't do that already? Of course, it has its
own ideas about what "frequently enough" is, but it won't re-vacuum a
table that's been vacuumed within that interval.
While I personally don't really want autovac on in my development
environment, I find it hard to deny the argument that it ought to be
on by default. If you know enough to set up a cron job to do your own
vacuuming schedule, you *certainly* know enough to turn off autovac
if you don't want it, or better dial it down to the point where it's
just an emergency backstop for your cron job. If you don't know enough
to turn off autovac, then you need it on.
Also, as noted already, having autovac on by default will encourage the
developers to work out the remaining kinks in it ;-)
regards, tom lane