With the release of PostgreSQL 8.4, the community gained the ability to use CTE syntax. As such, this is a fairly old feature, yet it’s still misunderstood in a lot of ways. At the same time, the query planner has been advancing incrementally since that time. Most recently, PostgreSQL has gained the ability to perform index-only scans, making it possible to fetch results straight from the index, without confirming rows with the table data.

I’ve managed to convince my employer to open source one of the tools I recently wrote. That tool goes by the name of walctl, and I believe the importance of this kind of tool can not be overstated.

The PostgreSQL Write Ahead Log (WAL) files are key to crash recovery, point in time recovery, and all standby use not derived from streaming replication. WAL files are extremely critical to proper database operation. Yet their archival is treated as an afterthought. Some people use regular cp while others go as far as to use rsync to send data to a replica server.

There comes a time in every DBA’s life, that he needs to add functionality to his database software. To most DBAs, and indeed for most databases, this amounts to writing a few stored procedures or triggers. In extremely advanced cases, the database may provide an API for direct C-language calls. PostgreSQL however, has gone above and beyond this for several years, and have continuously made the process easier with each iteration.

Recently, I’ve come to the conclusion my tastebuds are changing somewhat drastically. How so? As it turns out, where once I couldn’t even tolerate medium heat, and Taco Bell Medium sauce packets were the equivalent of agony, now all commonly available hot sauces only impart a mild zip.

I’ve been a fan of Nintendo and its content since I first played Super Mario Brothers in a 7-11 back in the 80’s. I slaved over my Nintendo Entertainment System in 1988 to master Super Mario to such a degree that I could play through the entire game without warps, all on one life. I was awed by The Legend of Zelda, subscribed to Nintendo Power for the free copy of Dragon Warrior, and made Contra my bitch after months of practicing with the aid of the infamous Konami Code. Then I watched a 90-minute Super Mario 3 commercial disguised as a summer movie, and reached a new level of devotion. When I was sick, the only thing I did aside from barfing my guts out and sleeping, was abuse my NES.