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PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition 3.0 ISO Available


The PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition 3.0 ISO image is available for
download from ftp://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/rhdb/3.0. The ISO
contains install images for Red Hat Linux 9 and Fedora Core 1.

Information on PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition 3.0 can be found in
the attached RELEASE-NOTES.

As this is a community project, no support agreements are available
from Red Hat.  Questions, comments and concerns should be directed
to the appropriate mailing lists, as described on
http://sources.redhat.com/rhdb/lists.html.

Cheers,
Patrick
PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition 3.0 Release Notes
==============================================

Copyright (c) 2004 Red Hat, Inc.

This document details the features that are new to PostgreSQL - Red Hat
Edition 3.0.

Note: Red Hat recommends that you update your Red Hat Linux 9 or Fedora 
Core 1 environment to the latest update.  There have been a number of 
issues addressed that could affect the operation of PostgreSQL - Red Hat
Edition.

1. Migration

   PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition 3.0 uses an improved version of PostgreSQL
   7.3.4.  If you are updating from a PostgreSQL 7.3.x installation to
   PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition 3.0, no data migration is necessary.
   However,  we strongly recommend users backup their databases before 
   upgrading to PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition 3.0.

   A dump / restore is required to migrate data from Red Hat Database for
   Red Hat Linux 7.1.x, Red Hat Database 2.0, or Red Hat Database 2.1.

2. Enhancements and Changes Included in PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition 3.0

   . PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition now installs on Red Hat Linux 9 and
     Fedora Core 1.

   . PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition is now powered by PostgreSQL 7.3.4, plus
     specific enhancements back ported from PostgreSQL 7.4.

     Changes from Red Hat Database 2.x to PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition 3.0
     include, but are not limited to:

     . Support for Schemas, allowing users to create objects in separate
       namespaces
     . Support for Drop Column, allowing users to issue ALTER TABLE ... DROP 
       COLUMN
     . Support for Table Functions and Prepared Queries
     . Improved (object) dependency tracking, which improves functionality 
       in many areas and allows commands such as DROP CASCADE | RESTRICT
     . Improved privilege support

     PostgreSQL 7.4 back port enhancements include, but are not limited to:

     . Optimization enhancements, such as collapsing of explicit JOINs rather
       than treating them as a forced join order
     . Various robustness enhancements

   . PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition 3.0 contains the latest stable version of
     Administrator, 2.0.  Administrator is completely rewritten in Java, and
     it includes many functional, usability, and robustness enhancements.

     Administrator 2.0 functional enhancements include, but are not limited
     to:

       . Support for version 7.3 backends. However, there is no longer
         support for backend versions 7.2 and below.
       . Full Schema support.
       . Support for Casts, Conversions, Domains, and Operator Classes.
       . A highly configurable Table/View data browser.
       . Composite Data Types can now be used as return types for functions.
       . All new options available for the CREATE/ALTER/DROP commands to
         various objects.
       . REINDEX and CLUSTER functionality has been added.
       . Full privilege support.
       . Backup/Restore functionality is now available.

     Administrator 2.0 usability enhancements include, but are not limited
     to:

       . The Table Constraint definition has been simplified by the creation
         of a dialog.
       . The ALTER COLUMN dialog has been redesigned for improved usability.
       . CREATE INDEX now allows selection of operator classes.
       . New navigation system, with a history feature, has been added.
       . The node structure in the Tree View has been rearranged to reflect
         correct grouping of various object types.
       . Quick shell (psql) access to a database.
       . Improved keyboard navigation.

     Administrator 2.0 robustness enhancements include, but are not limited
     to:

       . Various special ASCII characters are now handled correctly.
       . Object name handling is much more robust and secure.
       . If the connection to the backend breaks unexpectedly, Administrator
         now handles the error gracefully.
       . If the object has been dropped but is still visible in the Tree View,
         attempted operations on it are now handled gracefully.

   . PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition 3.0 contains the latest stable version of
     Visual Explain, 2.0, which includes many functional, usability, and
     robustness enhancements.

     Visual Explain 2.0 functional enhancements include, but are not limited
     to:

      . Full support for PostgreSQL 7.3 backends. Additional information
        (such as "qualifying expressions" for the node's operation) is
        displayed for relevant nodes when connecting to a database backend
        of that version.
      . If available, percentages of the total cost and total time are now
        shown for each node, making it simple to compare the relative
        importance of the operations and also the accuracy of the planner
        estimates.
      . Save and restore the plan resulting from an EXPLAIN or EXPLAIN
        ANALYZE operation.
      . Dynamic modification of the value of PostgreSQL environment variables.
      . Tooltips for tree nodes show the total time (if available) or cost
        (otherwise) of the node under the cursor. This enables you to explore
        the plan and search for problem spots without having to explicitly
        select each node and look for data in the Detail Pane.
      . Navigating among the tree nodes by using the arrow keys with the
        [Shift] key pressed. Arrow keys by themselves still scroll the pane.
        The focus must be in the Tree View pane for this to work.
      . Time/cost of the node operation is now shown as the total node
        time/cost minus the sum of the children's time/cost.
      . A Help menu option is now provided.

     Visual Explain 2.0 usability enhancements include, but are not limited
     to:

       . The Stop button has been fixed.
       . Visual Explain now asks for confirmation before abandoning changes
         made to the query text area, so you can save the changes.
       . You have the option to have Visual Explain reload the query that was
         in place when you last exited the tool, and to reconnect to the
         database if required.
       . If a file from the most recently used list cannot be opened, it is
         now removed from the list.
       . The Status Bar now displays the host, port, and username of the
         currently opened connection.
       . The Save Password option is now per-database, instead of global.
       . The Plan Overview window always stays on top.

     Visual Explain 2.0 robustness enhancements include, but are not limited
     to:

       . Table cells in the Detail Pane are no longer selectable.
       . When enlarging the main window, the additional space goes entirely
         towards the Tree View (as the remaining information has fixed size).
         The Detail Pane and the query text area keep their size (if possible)
         when the window size is reduced.
       . Very large cost estimates are now handled properly.
       . Cost and time are now at the bottom of the Detail Pane, so they are
         easier to spot as you navigate among nodes.

   . PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition 3.0 contains a beta version of Control
     Center, 1.0 Beta.  Control Center provides System Administrators and
     Database Administrators with a grapical tool to create and manage
     PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition database services.

3. Documentation

   PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition 3.0 includes the Graphical Tools Guide
   in HTML and PDF formats.

   This documentation can also be found on-line at:
   http://sources.redhat.com/rhdb/docs.html

4. Installer
 
   The PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition 3.0 ISO image features a new graphical
   installer, which makes it easy to install different groups of packages 
   and to perform post-installation tasks.  The installer is written in 
   Java, using the SWT/JFace framework, and it is statically compiled 
   using gcj to be fully self-contained.  It is licensed under the Common
   Public License version 1.0.

5. PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition Project

   A community project site has been created for the PostgreSQL - Red Hat
   Edition Project.  This site, found at http://sources.redhat.com/rhdb,
   contains documentation, mailing lists, projects and utilities specific 
   to PostgreSQL - Red Hat Edition.

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