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Comment by natural219 | Hacker News Reader

I hate PostgreSQL. Yes, I am a dummy application developer who doesn't understand database software.

Every time I try to install PostgreSQL it fails. Every time I install MySQL it installs successfully with no problems. Actually, that's the extent of my experience with it, and I guess I'm fine dealing with a database that doesn't validate date formats strictly if I can use the damn database without hassle. I am totally fine using Postgres at a company or with another DB developer who knows how to set up databases properly, but if I am starting a new project, I am going to use MySQL, period.

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+1 using Postgres.app (for Mac): http://postgresapp.com/

If you're on a Mac and don't want a menubar icon (I decided this recently), `brew install postgres`, and then write yourself some functions to make starting and stopping easier:

https://github.com/jclem/dotfiles/blob/master/zsh/functions/... https://github.com/jclem/dotfiles/blob/master/zsh/functions/...

EnterpriseDB has a nice set of PostgreSQL installers for all platforms. It also bundles PgAdmin 3 if you need a GUI. It's not as hip as PG Commander, but it's a real client that can do pretty much anything (vs PG Commander where you can't even create a new db instance).

Postgres.app is nice when it works. When you install the latest version the psql tool it bundles and exposes in the menu assumes you have a db that matches your user name, which, of course, doesn't exist, so you can't connect to the Postgres :-)

It also doesn't work that great if you already have another version setup running on the default port.

So postgresapp.com's installer is great, but due to some xyz thingie, it limits at 27 or so connections for 9.2 (maybe still in 9.3? - haven't followed the GH issue). Startled me when I ran into that and motivated me to move to a regular install.

I've said it before numerous times, but `brew install lunchy` for a more sane service management syntax.

`lunchy start postgres`

Um, point of this announcement is you no longer have to install PostgreSQL!!! You can let Amazon do it for you, and scale it, back it up, maintain it etc.

I'm going to guess he's talking about a dev machine, which is where 90%+ of all DB installs take place.

Are you sure that you aren't confusing installation with initial configuration?

The most utterly infuriating part of a new Postgres install is getting authentication set up. I shouldn't have to expressly edit a freaking INI file for basic user access, damnit!

With the tentative upsert changes made in 9.4's commitfest, the initial user config problems are my last major problem with Postgres...

This is what I mean, yes.

No kidding. If you really can avoid all the caveats on MySQL, installing of PostgreSQL is nothing hard. It's just your belief that you can avoid all that caveats.

Also, why don't you use Heroku PostgreSQL app which is just one-click starting self-contained app?

If you're on FreeBSD/Linux desktop, how can you fail to install? Of course it doesn't work just right after install, and it needs manual initial configuration for security. But that shouldn't be hard to any Unix family server developer.

If you're on Windows desktop, why don't you run your own FreeBSD/Linux server VM instance for your own development?

If you're using Windows server… with MySQL… Hmm then I am sorry. I have no more idea.

I've had the exact opposite experience. I have only had nightmares installing MySQL.

When I start a new company project, one of the first things I do is make sure other devs can easily work on it. Encourage your tech lead to always make a script that installs and sets up necessary requirements.

Makes it very easy if you are Mac, Debian based shop --- or if you just use vagrant.

Currently this looks like: 1. Make sure we have the version of ruby we want (if not use rvm to install) 2. Make sure our db is installed (if not installed use brew (make sure we have brew) to install it) 3. Create our database and users on the new db server 3. Run rake db:setup

Have you tried Heroku's PostgresApp postgresapp.com?

    sudo apt-get install postgresql

Windows: Next, Next, ... Finish.

Yeah, psql is really hard to install. For example on ubuntu: apt-get install postgresql postgresql-contrib

Who could install this nonsense??

He is probably using Windows.

Ouch.

Your loss!

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