Docs: GIST

I'm a bit confused.

In 7.3 is it possible to use GIST without using any of the stuff in
contrib/? If it is, how can it be done and in which cases should it be done?

The pgsql docs about indexes keep talking about GIST here and there, but I
can't seem to use them on anything. And there's no gist in the "ops" and
access method listing.

Having the docs say Postgresql provides GIST as one of the four access
methods, GIST supports multicolumn indexes, GIST etc, is just confusing if
the docs pertaining to indexes don't also say that in a default postgresql
installation you cannot create an index using GIST (if you can actually
create a GIST index "out of box", how??).

Another thing: is Eugene Selkov's 1998 message on GIST indexes in the 7.3
docs (see GIST Indexes) still valid? There's mention of Postgresql 6.3 and
postgres95 there too.

BTW, 7.3 is GREAT! Multiple col/row returns, prepare queries, schemas etc.
Also set enable_seq_scan=off can get rolled back to whatever it was before
now right? Cool, coz I have to force index use for a particular select.

Thanks to the postgresql dev team and everyone involved!

Cheerio,
Link.