Interviews

Andreas Scherbaum

1. How did you first get involved with PostgreSQL?

   Long time ago, around 1997. Colleague of mine started with MySQL, and back then it felt like the database is missing a few (many) crucial features. Tried a few other products, like Adabas and such. Found PostgreSQL, joined the IRC channel, and the rest is history. One of the first extensions I tried to write was an logging/audit module, because logging DML changes using pl/pgSQL was not an easy task. That worked for a long time, until logical replication came around, and offers better alternatives.

2. How did you get interested in the area that is the subject of your talk?

   My talk is about data types (I have more than one talk about this). During my trainings, and discussions with customers, it became clear that many people don't know how many data types PostgreSQL has to offer, besides TEXT and INT. It's also not well known that one can extend PostgreSQL and have your own data type included. The talk I present in San Francisco shows more advanced data types, like what is possible with Arrays or JSON, but also gives a brief glimpse into writing your own type.

3. What is one feature of PostgreSQL that more people should use?

   The documentation.

4. What future area of PostgreSQL development are you most excited about?

   The community. It's not a "future area" but you got to love the community, how it works together, all the different events and conferences and Meetups, and also how people connect in private, beyond databases.

5. Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself or PostgreSQL?

   Let's have a wonderful conference - and of course some ice cream!