Re: Multibyte encoding - what should a package provide?
Oliver Elphick wrote:
>
> [Reference: bug#43702]
>
> I have had a request for a postgresql package with multibyte support.
> Such support would enable postgresql to store data in different character
> sets, so that data in Russian, Greek, Chinese or other scripts could be
> stored and sorted properly.
I would tend to agree that multibyte support in postgresql would be a
near necessity. Many of our users are outside the USA and would need
it.
> There are several issues that I would like clarified:
>
> 1. Whether to have separate packages with and without multibyte support?
I would say no, providing that existing databases can be successfully
migrated to the new regime easily and safely. If not, or if something
(scripts) would suffer, then it may need to be provided as a distinct
package. You could also start out by supplying it as two packages (one
with and one without) and later combine the two (Provides:
postgresql-multibyte) if usage seems to be more on the multibyte side.
> 2. Which character set to make the default?
I would stick to Unicode. It seems pretty much like the defacto
standard these days and not uncommon at all (especially in web browsers,
which alot of postgresql databases interact with via php3).
> 3. Whether Debian policy has anything to say on the matter?
>
> As more packages are internationalised, it will become more important
> for us to have a consistent policy.
True. As to whether policy has something on this I don't know.
C
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