Re: pgsql/doc TODO

Tom Lane writes:

> Peter Eisentraut <peter_e@gmx.net> writes:
> > Bruce Momjian - CVS writes:
> > * Allow ability to easily build only certain interfaces (Marc)
> > We already have that:
> > make -C /what/ever install
>
> The ability is there in theory, but it's not documented very well.

Right, we could document these things.

> And I think Marc was also complaining about the download time to
> pull a full tarball when he only wanted to build client-side code.

I think Marc's problem was that he was using an inappropriate package
management system.  On that other free operating system, you'd simply
download the precompiled postgresql-libs-xxx.rpm and install it on all the
virtual hosts.  Marc insisted on using the FreeBSD port system's
compile-from-source approach every time.  Instead he could have chosen to
build a FreeBSD binary package (which exist).

> Couldn't we construct a package that's just client-side code plus
> configure/build support?

Not easily, since there are a number of interdependencies between client
and server code.  I guess it's possible, but then we're going to have a
big war about exactly which clients are "worthy".  Honestly, I don't
believe in the necessity: If you need a client you have to have a server
somewhere, so you already have the code.

--
Peter Eisentraut   peter_e@gmx.net