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diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/notation.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/notation.sgml new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..f31a9c08583 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/src/sgml/notation.sgml @@ -0,0 +1,73 @@ +<sect1> +<title>Terminology</title> + +<para> +In the following documentation, +<firstterm>site</firstterm> +may be interpreted as the host machine on which +<Productname>Postgres</Productname> is installed. +Since it is possible to install more than one set of +<Productname>Postgres</Productname> +databases on a single host, this term more precisely denotes any +particular set of installed +<Productname>Postgres</Productname> binaries and databases. + +<para> +The +<Productname>Postgres</Productname> <firstterm>super-user</firstterm> +is the user named <replaceable>postgres</replaceable> + who owns the <Productname>Postgres</Productname> +binaries and database files. As the database super-user, all +protection mechanisms may be bypassed and any data accessed +arbitrarily. +In addition, the <Productname>Postgres</Productname> super-user is allowed to execute +some support programs which are generally not available to all users. +Note that the <Productname>Postgres</Productname> super-user is +<emphasis>not</emphasis> +the same as the Unix super-user (<literal>root</literal>), +and should have a non-zero userid for security reasons. + +<para> +The +<firstterm>database base administrator</firstterm> +or <acronym>DBA</acronym>, is the person who is responsible for installing +<Productname>Postgres</Productname> with mechanisms to +enforce a security policy for a site. The DBA can add new users by +the method described below +and maintain a set of template databases for use by +<application>createdb</application>. + +<para> +The <application>postmaster</application> +is the process that acts as a clearing-house for requests +to the <Productname>Postgres</Productname> system. +Frontend applications connect to the <application>postmaster</application>, +which keeps tracks of any system errors and communication between the +backend processes. The <application>postmaster</application> +can take several command-line arguments to tune its behavior. +However, supplying arguments is necessary only if you intend to run multiple +sites or a non-default site. + +<para> +The <Productname>Postgres</Productname> backend +(the actual executable program <application>postgres</application>) may be executed +directly from the user shell by the +<Productname>Postgres</Productname> super-user +(with the database name as an argument). However, +doing this bypasses the shared buffer pool and lock table associated +with a postmaster/site, therefore this is not recommended in a multiuser +site. + +<sect1> +<title>Notation</title> + +<para> +<quote>...</quote> at the front of a file name is used to represent the +path to the <Productname>Postgres</Productname> super-user's home directory. +Anything in brackets +<quote>[</quote> and <quote>]</quote>) is optional. Anything in braces +(<quote>{</quote> and <quote>}</quote>) can be repeated 0 or more times. +Parentheses (<quote>(</quote> and <quote>)</quote>) are used to group boolean +expressions. <quote>|</quote> is the boolean operator OR. + +</sect1>
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