To be honest, Tom, I've always seen GiST not just as a great feature, but as
an essential feature.  Using Stonebraker's definition of an
object-relational database (which I tend to do, as it's the only one that
I've read about in depth), we really need to be able to properly index
complex data, and using GiST, we can.  Besides, it's just plain useful ;-)

MikeA


-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Lane
To: Michael Ansley
Cc: 'Franck Martin '; 'pgsql-general '; 'pgsql-hackers ';
't.h.p.ansley@durham.co.uk'
Sent: 11-27-00 3:32 AM
Subject: Re: [HACKERS] Indexing for geographic objects? 

Michael Ansley <Michael.Ansley@intec-telecom-systems.com> writes:
> Remember also that the GiST library has been integrated into PG, (my
brother
> is doing some thesis workon that at the moment),

Yeah?  Does it still work?

Since the GIST code is not tested by any standard regress test, and is
so poorly documented that hardly anyone can be using it, I've always
assumed that it is probably suffering from a severe case of bit-rot.

I'd love to see someone contribute documentation and regression test
cases for it --- it's a great feature, if it works.

			regards, tom lane


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RE: [HACKERS] Indexing for geographic objects? 


To be honest, Tom, I've always seen GiST not just as a great feature, but as an essential feature.  Using Stonebraker's definition of an object-relational database (which I tend to do, as it's the only one that I've read about in depth), we really need to be able to properly index complex data, and using GiST, we can.  Besides, it's just plain useful ;-)
MikeA


-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Lane
To: Michael Ansley
Cc: 'Franck Martin '; 'pgsql-general '; 'pgsql-hackers '; 't.h.p.ansley@durham.co.uk'
Sent: 11-27-00 3:32 AM
Subject: Re: [HACKERS] Indexing for geographic objects? 

Michael Ansley <Michael.Ansley@intec-telecom-systems.com> writes:
> Remember also that the GiST library has been integrated into PG, (my
brother
> is doing some thesis workon that at the moment),

Yeah?  Does it still work?

Since the GIST code is not tested by any standard regress test, and is
so poorly documented that hardly anyone can be using it, I've always
assumed that it is probably suffering from a severe case of bit-rot.

I'd love to see someone contribute documentation and regression test
cases for it --- it's a great feature, if it works.

                        regards, tom lane



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This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they
are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify
the system manager.

This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by
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www.mimesweeper.com
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Mon, 27 Nov 2000 12:47:25 -0000
Michael Ansley <Michael.Ansley@intec-telecom-systems.com>
RE: [HACKERS] Indexing for geographic objects? 