Dragged into the (Postgres) Open

July 19th, 2011 | Published in Database, Tech Talk | No Comments


A few months ago, Greg Smith of PostgreSQL fame suggested I submit a proposal to the new Postgres Open conference here in Chicago. Some of us residents of the Midwest have long waited for a PostgreSQL-related conference of our very own, and now the glorious day has finally arrived. I was asked to submit proposals to other conferences, but the travel involved quickly put me off; now I can be lazy and still help spread The Word.


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When Query Hints Attack

March 1st, 2011 | Published in Database, Tech Talk | No Comments


Ah, query hints. For all those times when the database isn’t doing what you want, they’re a useful tool for forcing the query optimizer to perform your bidding. But in this case, not only is the road to Hell paved with good intentions, it’s paved with a frictionless slide directly into a wood chipper that empties handily into an active volcano. With query hints, be careful what you wish for, because—to the detriment of all you hold dear—you just might get it.


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LIMITed Performance

April 16th, 2010 | Published in Database, Tech Talk | 2 Comments


PostgreSQL can be both a beautiful thing, and an infuriating mess.


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