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PostgreSQL 11.3 and 10.8

postgresql.org

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Re: PostgreSQL 11.3 and 10.8

#3
impressive and .. upgrade on 10.x now in process, easily, quickly, thanks to the Postgres PGDG Debian/Ubuntu repos .. BUT do not choose meta-package postgres ! Under Ubuntu at least, upgrading the meta-package postgres adds an entire new server 11+ without confirmation .. why is this tolerated.. genuinely annoying

Re: PostgreSQL 11.3 and 10.8

#4
I'm not a database guy so have no clue, but why are there so many versions receiving support? Is there just that much legacy crap they can't get away from, like Python?

Re: PostgreSQL 11.3 and 10.8

#5
post #4

I'm not a database guy so have no clue, but why are there so many versions receiving support? Is there just that much legacy crap they can't get away from, like Python?

Postgres users actually generally upgrade faster than those using other databases because there are a lot of new features each year. But once your database gets huge then upgrading still becomes a pain, so that's why they keep providing security support and bug fixes for older versions as well.

Re: PostgreSQL 11.3 and 10.8

#6

impressive and .. upgrade on 10.x now in process, easily, quickly, thanks to the Postgres PGDG Debian/Ubuntu repos .. BUT do not choose meta-package postgres ! Under Ubuntu at least, upgrading the meta-package postgres adds an entire new server 11+ without confirmation .. why is this tolerated.. genuinely annoying

I think you are looking for "apt-get upgrade" and not "apt-get dist-upgrade". Or, just install the version you specifically want

Re: PostgreSQL 11.3 and 10.8

#7
post #4

I'm not a database guy so have no clue, but why are there so many versions receiving support? Is there just that much legacy crap they can't get away from, like Python?

With semantic versioning each time the major version changes it signifies a breaking change. If you have an application that breaks from one of those breaking changes you may not see it as a business opportunity to update because it “works” as it is. However, minor version changes can include anything that doesn’t break. So security patches are hopefully added to any major version that is officially supported.

Re: PostgreSQL 11.3 and 10.8

#8
post #4

I'm not a database guy so have no clue, but why are there so many versions receiving support? Is there just that much legacy crap they can't get away from, like Python?

It's not "legacy crap". There just is long-term-support for versions cause it's not that easy to upgrade (both technically & others).

There's legacy crap everywhere, all langs,db,versions etc. Supported sometimes for 10+ years.

Re: PostgreSQL 11.3 and 10.8

#9
post #4

I'm not a database guy so have no clue, but why are there so many versions receiving support? Is there just that much legacy crap they can't get away from, like Python?

With databases being often mission critical, the PostgreSQL people decided heroically to support major versions for 5 years -- and as they come out with a new major version every year, minor updates come out for 5 different branches.

Note the recent versioning change: 9.4, 9.5, 9.6 were the previous 3 major versions bases, and the last two are 10 and 11.

Re: PostgreSQL 11.3 and 10.8

#10
post #4

I'm not a database guy so have no clue, but why are there so many versions receiving support? Is there just that much legacy crap they can't get away from, like Python?

Moving between major versions of Postgres requires downtime proportional to the size of the database. Supporting older versions allows users to go many years without having to do this.
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