Heikki Linnakangas <heikki.linnakangas@enterprisedb.com> writes:
> archive_mode = on disables the optimization to skip WAL-logging when
> loading into a new table that was created in the same transaction.
... and affects a whole bunch of other behaviors too, in processes all
across the database that could not possibly adopt a new setting
synchronously. That's exactly why it was made a postmaster-start option
to begin with. Simon's given no argument at all why it would be safe to
flip it on-the-fly.
regards, tom lane