Re: some questions about PostgreSQL in general

On 2 Jan 2002 at 21:06, Frank Bax wrote:
<snip>
> I've got a little script which you can use to create psql tables
> directly from the foxpro files (see below).  Just ftp the files to *nix
> server and run script.  Requires DBI abstraction package.

thanks, but i think the import will be a clipper applet which will
export all data to text, and a COPY to import the lot into postgresql.
i can't avoid a step like this because the data in the current tables
are encrypted.

> >we have decided to go for a complete new platform and after looking
>
> I use OpenBSD & PHP; no complaints.  OpenBSD packages system makes
> php/pgsql install very easy.

good to hear that openbsd is an option, i hear great things about it's
security. OTOH linux is more mainstream, so it should be easier to get
support. this choice may become a difficult one...

> >let the notebooks make a dial-in connection
>
> You mean dial-up to internet, right?  And come into *nix server via it's
> internet connection.

yes. and i know, there's _lots_ of security issues involved

> >the database should also be able to either hold a lot of office
> >documents.
>
> I'd go with links to files.  I once read something to the effect "if you
> don't index or search on it, don't include it in db".  You could install
> SAMBA on *nix box allowing you to "map" drives to SAMBA shares.  SAMBA
> implements the protocol behind Windows file-sharing.  If you need to
> search content of these documents, you might consider extracting
> readable text out of document and only put that in table.

OK, links it is.

another question i didn't think about in my original posting: how
flexible is postgresql? at the moment it's quite easy to change the
structure of the tables. i guess that in postgresql this may be a
little problematic.

thanks for reacting and HAND

--
Jules Alberts