Re: pg_class.relistemp

Excerpts from Bruce Momjian's message of mié jul 13 15:24:35 -0400 2011:
> David E. Wheeler wrote:
> > On Jul 13, 2011, at 12:14 PM, Bruce Momjian wrote:
> > 
> > >> I'm wondering if it would be possible to restore the relistemp column
> > >> to pg_class, at least for backwards compatibility, so that apps that
> > >> expected it can continue to work on both 9.0 and 9.1. Even if it's
> > >> read-only somehow, and the same as `relpersistence <> 't'`.
> > >
> > > Uh, that is going to require an initdb, and it is unlinkely we are going
> > > to need that this far into 9.1 beta.
> > 
> > I was afraid of that.
> > 
> > > Also, we don't normally keep
> > > system table columns around for backward compatibility because of the
> > > confusion it can cause, e.g. which column do I look at?
> > 
> > The one that's documented.
> 
> Well, that assumes people read the documention and don't just do \d.
> Keeping cruft around over time makes the system more complex.

This seems a case where column synonyms would have been useful (as was
the procpid / pid change).

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