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Practical PostgreSQL: http://www.commandprompt.com/ppbook/
Learn SQL The Hard Way: http://sql.learncodethehardway.org/
Use The Index, Luke!: A Guide To SQL Database Performance: http://use-the-index-luke.com/ (my own site)
Source: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/194812/list-of-freely-available-programming-books

Python:

http://www.commandprompt.com/community/pyqt/



But to be fair, Qt primarily supports C/C++ and Java. To me this is a non-issue as those are basically the de facto languages for shipping commercial applications. I mean, who ships an entire application written in Ruby/Python?

But yes, Gtk seems to support every language under the sun. But then again, adding binding support to a language, partially with IDL compilers and what not, is pretty trivial. I think Qt's decision to bind with Java and C/C++ has a lot to do with the amount of effort that has gone into standardizing those languages, which is, again, one major argument for picking Qt.

> Then I guess the only big thing is, who do you go to if there is a major problem?

Here (http://www.bizgres.org/) or here (http://www.commandprompt.com/) or here (http://www.postgresql.org/support/professional_su pport) perhaps?

> 6) It can use perl, python, java, tcl or PG/Pqsl as it's stored procedure languages. YOu can also use C and even compile your C stored procs in with the server if you want super speed.

There is also plPHP:
http://www.commandprompt.com/community/plphp

PostgreSQL has come a long way in 6-9 months. Please take a look at today's SLONY replication, at commercial support *and value-add* companies like http://www.commandprompt.com/, and http://www.enterprisedb.com/. Replication is here...don't worry. And by the way, sounds like EnterpriseDB is putting replication in place between Oracle and PostgreSQL...could be interesting...

PostgreSQL's support issues vs. MySQL's are simply because MySQL is a company, while PostgreSQL is a community. The good news, though, is that there are some very capable commercial support organizations, including (in alphabetical order), http://www.commandprompt.com/, http://www.enterprisedb.com/, and http://www.pervasive.com/.

http://www.commandprompt.com/images/mammoth_versus _dolphin_500.jpg

Don't forget plPHP:

plPHP

Command Prompt Inc. uses PostgreSQL: http://www.commandprompt.com/
"Command Prompt has been extremely helpful in diagnosing problems and providing effective solutions. Our database is over 100 Gigabytes in size, and we do 240,000 transactions per hour 24/7. They have helped us to get the most out of our large database installation and plan for future expansion.

Andy Ruse
Senior Network Administrator
AWeber Systems, Inc."

Google for Postgresql support and you'll find lots of support, including but not limited to:

• Postgresql, Inc
• Command Prompt, Inc
• CyberTec
• dbExperts

PHP geeks, don't forget to check out plphp. You can create functions/triggers with php for PostgreSQL.

CommandPrompt Mammoth PostgreSQL for Win32, Mac OS X, Linux
http://www.commandprompt.com/entry.lxp?lxpe=295

dbExperts PostgreSQL for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux
http://www.dbexperts.net/postgresql

PowerGres (threaded Windows PostgreSQL
http://osb.sra.co.jp/PowerGres/introduction-en.php

They also have been working on a procedual language for PostgreSQL for server side triggers, and functions. Information can be found here, plPHP.

PostgreSQL has made some pretty nice advancements post version 7+, performance and feature wise. I worked on a intranet where the company spent lots of money trying to get an Oracle solution to work, but found it was way to slow. The suggestion of PostgreSQL, and MS SQL came up. We tested PostgreSQL, and it was acutually faster, and easier to maintain then our Oracle database. The best part was, it was free!

Nope...

This was cold introduction to postgresql. Then on the postgresql site I found a link to this: Practical PostgreSQL.

Now, I am familar with setting up different databases, but postgresql to me was very easy. My experience with mysql has been similar, but it didn't seem as clean to me as postgresql.

For a real nightmare setup either firebird. Not a whit of documentation for that database.

Depends on your needs. If you are looking for business class hosting, Command Prompt does well. They have private instance databases instead of shared instance like most other providers.

...that the entire O'Reilly Practical PostgreSQL book was put online?

I've spent so much time lately in the (relatively) flat-table world of MySQL that I had forgotten about inherited tables, subselects, constraints in table definitions, and oh yes, vacuuming. ;) Looks like it is time to revisit postgres, especially for some db-agnostic PEAR apps I'm building. For me, it's the subselects that really make it worth the effort.

materialized views (which can increase performance)

point-in-time recovery

data partitioning

more flexible backup and restore options

the ability to use Win NT passwords and security (I know, that's not a big issue for most)
PostgreSQL does have some support from third-party software. phpPgAdmin for example, is a great tool and gets better with each release. pgAccess is a tool that comes with PostgreSQL, but I haven't used it much in the last year or so, and I remember it feeling like it was not quite ready for prime time. But it's a Windoze front-end for the PostgreSQL server and that's a big deal! There are also a couple of books about it (with more on the way, I hope), one of which, Practical PostgreSQL, published by O'Reilly is very good and available online.

The biggest thing you get for all the money you spend on Oracle is a "known" product. There are hundreds of books on Oracle (many are awful--caveat emptor) as well as classes and trainers and consultants and DBA's everywhere in the world (repeat caution above).

I love PostgreSQL, enjoy working with it, and am delighted with the new functionality the developers chose to include in version 7.3 (almost like they read my mind). Face it, for most medium-sized projects, we create a connection to the database (I often use ODBC) and start firing off queries. It doesn't matter to our program which database is behind the connection. We want speed, efficiency, and safety for our data. Anything more is window dressing (or comfort for the suits). Long live PostgreSQL!

Oops, I'm going to get down-modded for editorializing... *sigh*

1. No simple equivalent of SHOW COLUMNS. Consequently, it's hard to find any high level language API that allows you to read the structure of a database. Python... nope. Tcl... nope. Perl... nope. (Or at least not the last time I checked).

2. Proper keyboard support for the psql client is broken by default on many of the linux installs I work on (debian seems to be particularly bad). It's *very* frustrating trying when the arrow keys and tab completion doesn't work.

3. The documentation is tough reading. Very formal. Obviously done by comp-sci academics.

No matter how hard I try, I cannot grok the date-time functions, which I find to be extremely cryptic. For example, the simplest way I've found to calculate the number of days elapsed between today and a given date is:

If you need to expand your SQL to include PostgreSQL, try:

PostgreSQL: Introduction and Concepts by Bruce Momjian

Practical PostgreSQL, by Command Prompt, Inc. written by John Worsley and Joshua Drake of Command Prompt, Inc.

Very practical definitions, examples, and procedures. I'm still scratching the surface of SQL, so I haven't found anything yet these sources can't handle.

I've also found the Usenet Posgres groups useful.

Practical PostgreSQL
Using Samba
Personally I thought both were very well written, the samba book has helped me greatly.

• PostgreSQL: Introduction and Concepts by Bruce Momjian
• Practical PostgreSQL by John Worsley and Joshua Drake

The oreilly book 'practical postgresql' is online for free at http://www.commandprompt.com/ppbook/. It has some useful information about postgresql and sql in general.

There are a few decent books about PostgreSQL out there now. It is so much nicer than a few years ago.

Practical PostgreSQL. I think this one just came out as a bound book. I just got it a couple days ago and it is pretty good. It is also online.

Postgresql : Developer's Handbook. I (as a developer) like this one best of all that are out now.

PostgreSQL Essential Reference. This one is pretty good, but I would not say it is essential. :-)

Beginning Databases with PostgreSQL. This is one of those Wrox books which is about 10000 pages, including 80% of what I want to know and 2000% of what I don't.

There other others, but I think they are weaker. I was disappointed with the one just called PostgreSQL.

And you can even read it online. I recommend spending the money to buy it hardcopy. This book is *excellent*.

Like you, I couldn't figure out how to configure users. This book explains it so it makes sense. I was even able to make SSL authentication work! I can't recommend it highly enough.

Here is a link to the online copy of Practical PostgreSQL. Enjoy!

If this is the scenario you want then you'd probably do well with O'Reilly. See for example the book "Practical PostgreSQL", written by guys at CommandPrompt, Inc., published in print by O'Reilly but also freely available online at CommandPrompt's website.

If this is the scenario you want then you'd probably do well with O'Reilly. See for example the book "Practical PostgreSQL", written by guys at CommandPrompt, Inc., published in print by O'Reilly but also freely available online at CommandPrompt's website.

You should all be using LXP. It is available at Command Prompt, Inc. It is a C++ Apache Module that uses persistent PostgreSQL connections. It has direct query methods and XML parsing all built in.