Re: 9.4 Proposal: Initdb creates a single table

From: Craig Ringer <craig(at)2ndquadrant(dot)com>
To: Simon Riggs <simon(at)2ndQuadrant(dot)com>, PostgreSQL-development <pgsql-hackers(at)postgresql(dot)org>
Subject: Re: 9.4 Proposal: Initdb creates a single table
Date: 2014-04-23 06:45:21
Message-ID: 53576181.1080702@2ndquadrant.com
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On 04/23/2014 02:11 PM, Simon Riggs wrote:
> I propose we add a single table called Postgres when we Initdb
>
> CREATE TABLE Postgres (Id Integer, Data Jsonb);

Without particular comment on the need for the table, I'd be concerned
about calling it "postgres".

My personal impression from Stack Overflow etc has been that users are
readily confused by the fact that we have:

- Database engine/system "postgres"
- backend binary "postgres" (they see it in ps)
- unix user "postgres"
- Pg superuser "postgres"
- database "postgres"

Sure, there's an argument for running with the theme here, but I suspect
using the name "postgres" for a default table will just muddy the waters
a bit more.

Even "postgres_table" would help.

It *absolutely must* be lower case, whatever it is, IMO. If you're going
for newest-of-the-newbies, the last thing you want to do is having them
dealing with it being just Postgres in some places, and having to be
"Postgres" in others.

Personally, don't know if I'm convinced it's overly worth doing - but I
think it's silly to dismiss without actually corralling up some users
who're unfamiliar with Pg and watching them get started. I'd love to see
some properly conducted usability studies of Pg, and something like this
would fit in well.

--
Craig Ringer http://www.2ndQuadrant.com/
PostgreSQL Development, 24x7 Support, Training & Services

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