Re: knngist plans

Marios,

you're right. There are several reasons for poor documentation, but of course,
no excuse, we do need good docs any way ! It's very nice you're willing to 
write one, since it's always better seen from outside of development.
I think it'd be better to use wiki, so other people can join.
Pictures would be nice, but I don't know if there is consensus about using 
pictures in documentation.



Oleg

btw, we're thinking in the background about new indexing infrastructure - 
Spatial GiST, but it's rather big project, so we need sponsors.

On Sat, 16 Oct 2010, Marios Vodas wrote:

> Oleg as I said I do believe some things could get better in docs.
> Here are 4 main drawbacks in my opinion:
> 1. The docs lack example(s). There are some references to gistproc.c etc but
> this is not part of the docs and if I am someone that has just started this
> is hard and confusing (I shouldn't have to read the full technical solution
> to another problem in order to solve mine).
> 2. The 7 methods are poorly explained, at least theoretically. For example
> when I started I couldn't understand where each function was used. I had to
> read papers to understand the logic.
> 3. Describe situations that gist can be used. I am aware of spatial indexing
> because I worked on it, but I have the impression that there are more (e.g.
> computational biology).
> 4. Why not add some images/figures? (1 image = 1000 words)
>
> GiST is a very important and useful part of postgresql but it's hard to get
> started with it. Moreover, I am sure it has capabilities, other than the
> profound, that are not known to many people (including me).
> Plus knngist will give gist a boost, and I suggest that it shouldn't be
> delayed any more.
>
> We have some documentation already, Teodor will post soon.
>
> I would really like to see what Teodor has done.
>
> I could also prepare a document with the additions I would like to see in
> docs. Shall I do it? Of course it might take a while to finish it.
>
> On Fri, Oct 15, 2010 at 2:37 PM, Oleg Bartunov <oleg@sai.msu.su> wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 15 Oct 2010, Marios Vodas wrote:
>>
>>  Recently I worked a lot with gist and read about knngist. I have spotted
>>> weaknesses in docs. So I would be happy to help if you tell me how.
>>>
>>
>> We have some documentation already, Teodor will post soon. Marios, I'd
>> happy to help in writing docs. Do you have some plans ?
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Fri, Oct 15, 2010 at 5:57 AM, Robert Haas <robertmhaas@gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>  On Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 7:07 PM, Marios Vodas <mvodas@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I would like to ask in which future version of postgresql knngist is
>>>>>
>>>> planned
>>>>
>>>>> to be included. Is there any possibility to be included in 9.1?
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> There's a possibility, but I think the patch still needs some more
>>>> work.  One thing that would help is if someone felt motivated to write
>>>> some documentation.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Robert Haas
>>>> EnterpriseDB: http://www.enterprisedb.com
>>>> The Enterprise PostgreSQL Company
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>        Regards,
>>                Oleg
>> _____________________________________________________________
>> Oleg Bartunov, Research Scientist, Head of AstroNet (www.astronet.ru),
>> Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Moscow University, Russia
>> Internet: oleg@sai.msu.su, http://www.sai.msu.su/~megera/<http://www.sai.msu.su/%7Emegera/>
>> phone: +007(495)939-16-83, +007(495)939-23-83
>>
>
    Regards,        Oleg
_____________________________________________________________
Oleg Bartunov, Research Scientist, Head of AstroNet (www.astronet.ru),
Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Moscow University, Russia
Internet: oleg@sai.msu.su, http://www.sai.msu.su/~megera/
phone: +007(495)939-16-83, +007(495)939-23-83