heads up regarding required database version

This is a pre-announcement for those using GNUmed in
production so that proper planning can be started:

Starting with version 1.4 (NOT the to-be-released-after-
we-find-a-suitable-solution-for-failing-lists version
1.3) GNUmed will require PostgreSQL version >= 9.0.

One of the benefits will be that starting with 9.0
PostgreSQL supports payloads on database notifications which
allows us to listen to changes in the EMR in a much more
robust and more appropriately grained way.

A few facts:

1) GNUmed already runs on 9.0 (and up) even today

2) transition can be as easy as (an appropriate incantation of):

	pg_dump > gnumed_v19.sql
	psql < gnumed_v19.sql

3) transition can also happen by any number of other means:

	- pg_upgrade
	- slony
	- ...

Further guidance will be provided as 1.4 approaches.

There's a slew of other useful things:

	- WHEN triggers
	- column triggers
	- sort in aggregates
	- named parameters in stored procedures
	- exclusion constraints
	- deferrable unique constraints
	- hot_standby and streaming replication

Karsten
-- 
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