Spiff up discussion of precision on date/time data types.

Add a NetBSD/alpha and update info on a few other platforms.

doc/src/sgml/datatype.sgml

 <!--
-$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/datatype.sgml,v 1.78 2001/12/08 03:24:22 thomas Exp $
+$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/datatype.sgml,v 1.79 2001/12/21 03:54:02 thomas Exp $
 -->
 
  <chapter id="datatype">
@@ -1328,21 +1328,20 @@ SELECT b, char_length(b) FROM test2;
 
    <para>
     <type>time</type> and <type>timestamp</type> both accept an
-    option precision field <replaceable>p</replaceable> which
+    optional precision field <replaceable>p</replaceable> which
     determines the number of digits retained beyond the seconds
     decimal point. By default, there is no explicit bound on precision
     and the actual precision is determined by the underlying double
     precision floating point number used to store values in seconds
     for <type>interval</type> and
-    since 2000-01-01 in the case of <type>timestamp</type>.
+    in seconds since 2000-01-01 for <type>timestamp</type>.
    </para>
 
    <para>
     Time zones, and time-zone conventions, are influenced by
-    political decisions, not just physical effects. Time zones have
-    become somewhat standardized around the world during the 1900's,
-    but continue to 
-    be prone to arbitrary changes.
+    political decisions, not just geometry. Time zones around the
+    world became somewhat standardized during the 1900's,
+    but continue to be prone to arbitrary changes.
     <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> uses your operating
     system's underlying features to provide time-zone
     support, and these systems usually contain information for only
@@ -1354,13 +1353,15 @@ SELECT b, char_length(b) FROM test2;
    </para>
 
    <para>
-    To ensure compatibility to earlier versions of <productname>PostgreSQL</productname>
+    To ensure compatibility to earlier versions of
+    <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> 
     we continue to provide <type>datetime</type>
     (equivalent to <type>timestamp</type>) and
     <type>timespan</type> (equivalent to <type>interval</type>),
     however support for these is now restricted to having an
     implicit translation to <type>timestamp</type> and
-    <type>interval</type>.
+    <type>interval</type>, and these name mappings will be removed in
+    the next version.
     The types <type>abstime</type>
     and <type>reltime</type> are lower precision types which are used internally.
     You are discouraged from using any of these types in new
@@ -1376,9 +1377,12 @@ SELECT b, char_length(b) FROM test2;
      Date and time input is accepted in almost any reasonable format, including
      <acronym>ISO 8601</acronym>, <acronym>SQL</acronym>-compatible, 
      traditional <productname>PostgreSQL</productname>, and others.
-     The ordering of month and day in date input can be ambiguous, therefore a setting
-     exists to specify how it should be interpreted in ambiguous cases. The command
-     <literal>SET DateStyle TO 'US'</literal> or <literal>SET DateStyle TO 'NonEuropean'</literal>
+     For some formats, ordering of month and day in date input can be
+     ambiguous and there is support for specifying the expected
+     ordering of these fields.
+     The command
+     <literal>SET DateStyle TO 'US'</literal> 
+     or <literal>SET DateStyle TO 'NonEuropean'</literal>
      specifies the variant <quote>month before day</quote>, the command
      <literal>SET DateStyle TO 'European'</literal> sets the variant
      <quote>day before month</quote>. The <literal>ISO</literal> style
@@ -1386,24 +1390,29 @@ SELECT b, char_length(b) FROM test2;
     </para>
 
     <para>
+     <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> is more flexible in
+     handling date/time than the
+     <acronym>SQL</acronym> standard requires.
      See <xref linkend="datetime-appendix">
-     for the exact parsing rules of date/time input and for the recognized time zones.
+     for the exact parsing rules of date/time input and for the
+     recognized time zones. 
     </para>
 
     <para>
-     Remember that any date or time input needs to be enclosed into
-     single quotes, like text strings.  Refer to <xref
-     linkend="sql-syntax-constants-generic"> for more information.
+     Remember that any date or time literal input needs to be enclosed
+     in single quotes, like text strings.  Refer to 
+     <xref linkend="sql-syntax-constants-generic"> for more
+     information.
      <acronym>SQL9x</acronym> requires the following syntax
 <synopsis>
 <replaceable>type</replaceable> [ (<replaceable>p</replaceable>) ] '<replaceable>value</replaceable>'
 </synopsis>
-     where <replaceable>p</replaceable> is an integer specifying the
-     number of fractional digits in the seconds field, and is allowed
-     for <type>time</type>, <type>timestamp</type>, and <type>interval</type> types.
-     <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> is more flexible in
-     handling date/time than the
-     <acronym>SQL</acronym> standard requires.
+     where <replaceable>p</replaceable> in the optional precision
+     specification is an integer corresponding to the
+     number of fractional digits in the seconds field. Precision can
+     be specified 
+     for <type>time</type>, <type>timestamp</type>, and
+     <type>interval</type> types.
     </para>
 
     <sect3>

doc/src/sgml/installation.sgml

-<!-- $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/installation.sgml,v 1.70 2001/12/19 18:49:56 petere Exp $ -->
+<!-- $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/installation.sgml,v 1.71 2001/12/21 03:54:02 thomas Exp $ -->
 
 <chapter id="installation">
  <title><![%standalone-include[<productname>PostgreSQL</>]]>
@@ -1372,9 +1372,10 @@ gunzip -c user.ps.gz \
 	<entry><systemitem class="osname">AIX</></entry>
 	<entry><systemitem>RS6000</></entry>
 	<entry>7.2</entry>
-	<entry>2001-11-28,
-	 Andreas Zeugswetter (<email>ZeugswetterA@spardat.at</email>)</entry>
-        <entry>4.3; see also <filename>doc/FAQ_AIX</filename></entry>
+	<entry>2001-12-19,
+	 Andreas Zeugswetter (<email>ZeugswetterA@spardat.at</email>),
+	 Tatsuo Ishii (<email>t-ishii@sra.co.jp</email>)</entry>
+        <entry>see also <filename>doc/FAQ_AIX</filename></entry>
        </row>
        <row>
 	<entry><systemitem class="osname">BeOS</></entry>
@@ -1392,6 +1393,14 @@ gunzip -c user.ps.gz \
 	 Bruce Momjian (<email>pgman@candle.pha.pa.us</email>)</entry>
         <entry>4.2</entry>
        </row>
+       <row>
+	<entry><systemitem class="osname">FreeBSD</></entry>
+	<entry><systemitem>Alpha</></entry>
+	<entry>7.2</entry>
+	<entry>2001-12-18,
+	 Chris Kings-Lynne (<email>chriskl@familyhealth.com.au</email>)</entry>
+        <entry></entry>
+       </row>
        <row>
 	<entry><systemitem class="osname">FreeBSD</></entry>
 	<entry><systemitem>x86</></entry>
@@ -1428,9 +1437,9 @@ gunzip -c user.ps.gz \
        <row>
 	<entry><systemitem class="osname">Linux</></entry>
 	<entry><systemitem>armv4l</></entry>
-	<entry>7.1</entry>
-	<entry>2001-02-22,
-	 Mark Knox (<email>markk@pixin.net</email>)</entry>
+	<entry>7.2</entry>
+	<entry>2001-12-10,
+	 Mark Knox (<email>segfault@hardline.org</email>)</entry>
 	<entry>2.2.x</entry>
        </row>
        <row>
@@ -1441,6 +1450,14 @@ gunzip -c user.ps.gz \
 	 Hisao Shibuya (<email>shibuya@alpha.or.jp</>)</entry>
 	<entry>2.0.x; <productname>Cobalt Qube2</></entry>
        </row>
+       <row>
+	<entry><systemitem class="osname">Linux</></entry>
+	<entry><systemitem>PlayStation2</></entry>
+	<entry>7.2</entry>
+	<entry>2001-12-12,
+	 Permaine Cheung <email>pcheung@redhat.com</email>)</entry>
+	<entry>#undef HAS_TEST_AND_SET, slock_t</entry>
+       </row>
        <row>
 	<entry><systemitem class="osname">Linux</></entry>
 	<entry><systemitem>PPC74xx</></entry>
@@ -1452,9 +1469,9 @@ gunzip -c user.ps.gz \
        <row>
 	<entry><systemitem class="osname">Linux</></entry>
 	<entry><systemitem>S/390</></entry>
-	<entry>7.1</entry>
-	<entry>2000-11-17,
-	 Neale Ferguson (<email>Neale.Ferguson@softwareAG-usa.com</email>)</entry>
+	<entry>7.2</entry>
+	<entry>2001-12-12,
+	 Permaine Cheung <email>pcheung@redhat.com</email>)</entry>
 	<entry></entry>
        </row>
        <row>
@@ -1565,11 +1582,20 @@ gunzip -c user.ps.gz \
      <row>
       <entry><systemitem class="osname">QNX 4.25</></entry>
       <entry><systemitem>x86</></entry>
-      <entry>7.1</entry>
-      <entry>2001-05-24,
+      <entry>7.2</entry>
+      <entry>2001-12-10,
        Bernd Tegge (<email>tegge@repas-aeg.de</email>)
       </entry>
       <entry>see also <filename>doc/FAQ_QNX4</filename></entry>
+     </row>
+     <row>
+      <entry><systemitem class="osname">QNX 6</></entry>
+      <entry><systemitem>x86</></entry>
+      <entry>7.2</entry>
+      <entry>2001-12-10,
+       Igor Kovalenko (<email>Igor.Kovalenko@motorola.com</email>)
+      </entry>
+      <entry>Requires patches for Posix semaphores; see archives</entry>
      </row>
        <row>
 	<entry><systemitem class="osname">Solaris</></entry>
@@ -1587,21 +1613,42 @@ gunzip -c user.ps.gz \
 	 Martin Renters (<email>martin@datafax.com</email>)</entry>
 	<entry>2.8; see also <filename>doc/FAQ_Solaris</filename></entry>
        </row>
+      <row>
+       <entry><systemitem class="osname">SunOS</></entry>
+       <entry><systemitem>Sparc</></entry>
+       <entry>7.2</entry>
+       <entry>2001-12-04, Tatsuo Ishii (<email>t-ishii@sra.co.jp</email>)</entry>
+       <entry></entry>
+      </row>
        <row>
 	<entry><systemitem class="osname">Tru64 UNIX</></entry>
 	<entry><systemitem>Alpha</></entry>
 	<entry>7.2</entry>
 	<entry>2001-11-26,
-	 Alessio Bragadini (<email>alessio@albourne.com</email>)</entry>
-        <entry>4.0g, with cc and gcc</entry>
+	 Alessio Bragadini (<email>alessio@albourne.com</email>),
+         Bernd Tegge (<email>tegge@repas-aeg.de</email>)</entry>
+        <entry>5.0; 4.0g with cc and gcc</entry>
        </row>
        <row>
-	<entry><systemitem class="osname">Windows NT/2000</></entry>
+	<entry><systemitem class="osname">Windows</></entry>
 	<entry><systemitem>x86</></entry>
-	<entry>7.1</entry>
-	<entry>2001-03-16,
+	<entry>7.2</entry>
+	<entry>2001-12-13,
+	 Dave Page (<email>dpage@vale-housing.co.uk</email>),
 	 Jason Tishler (<email>jason@tishler.net</email>)</entry>
-        <entry>with <application>Cygwin</application> tool set, see <filename>doc/FAQ_MSWIN</filename></entry>
+        <entry>with <application>Cygwin</application>; see <filename>doc/FAQ_MSWIN</filename></entry>
+       </row>
+      <row>
+       <entry><systemitem class="osname">Windows</></entry>
+       <entry><systemitem>x86</></entry>
+       <entry>7.2</entry>
+       <entry>2001-12-10,
+	Dave Page (<email>dpage@vale-housing.co.uk</email>)</entry>
+       <entry>
+	native is client-side only;
+<![%standalone-include[see Administrator's Guide]]>
+<![%standalone-ignore[see <xref linkend="install-win32">]]>
+       </entry>
       </row>
       </tbody>
      </tgroup>
@@ -1668,14 +1715,7 @@ Obsolete platform? This distro was merged into PPC afaik. - thomas 2001-12-07
       <entry><systemitem>x86</></entry>
       <entry>6.5</entry>
       <entry>1999-05-25, Andrew Merrill (<email>andrew@compclass.com</>)</entry>
-      <entry>7.2 should work, but no reports; see also <filename>doc/FAQ_SCO</filename></entry>
-     </row>
-     <row>
-      <entry><systemitem class="osname">SunOS</></entry>
-      <entry><systemitem>Sparc</></entry>
-      <entry>7.2</entry>
-      <entry>2001-12-04, Tatsuo Ishii (<email>t-ishii@sra.co.jp</email>)</entry>
-      <entry><function>memcmp()</> does not work correctly, so probably not reliable</entry>
+      <entry>&version; should work, but no reports; see also <filename>doc/FAQ_SCO</filename></entry>
      </row>
      <row>
       <entry><systemitem class="osname">System V R4</></entry>
@@ -1703,24 +1743,11 @@ Obsolete platform? This distro was merged into PPC afaik. - thomas 2001-12-07
       <entry><systemitem>VAX</></entry>
       <entry>6.x</entry>
       <entry>1998-03-01</entry>
-      <entry>no recent reports</entry>
-     </row>
-     <row>
-      <entry><systemitem class="osname">Windows 9x, ME, NT, 2000</> (native)</entry>
-      <entry><systemitem>x86</></entry>
-      <entry>7.1</entry>
-      <entry>2001-03-26, Magnus Hagander (<email>mha@sollentuna.net</email>)</entry>
-      <entry>
-       client-side libraries (<application>libpq</> and <application>psql</>) or ODBC or JDBC, no server-side;
-<![%standalone-include[see <citetitle>Administrator's Guide</>]]>
-<![%standalone-ignore[see <xref linkend="install-win32">]]>
-       for instructions
-      </entry>
+      <entry></entry>
      </row>
     </tbody>
    </tgroup>
   </informaltable>
-
  </sect1>
 
 </chapter>