I have been thinking about the ODBC driver, I know you guys know a lot
more about it than I do, but I gather that the problem with it is that it
does not rely on the core PostgreSQL libraries. Which means that it needs
a lot of work when the PostgreSQL project makes a protocol change.
Looking at both ODBC and libpq and I think that the difference is that
libpq aims to make PostgreSQL interfacing easy, while ODBC strives to be a
comprehensive SQL interface. 99% of what will be done with the ODBC
interface will be simple SQLAllocStmt, SQLPrepare, and SQLExecute.
This difference, I think anyways, makes the libpq API a poor choice for
the foundation of the ODBC driver.
What is needed is a lower level PostgreSQL interface library. Maybe it is
based on libpq, making internal routines public, maybe it is a new
development, either way, I think both ODBC and HACKERS should cooperate on
a low level interface on which the ODBC driver can be based.
I also think with a solid defined project with a tangible outcome will be
more attrictive to new developers than does being a bugbitch.
What do you think?