Re: Adding support for SE-Linux security - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

Robert Haas <robertmhaas@gmail.com> writes:
> Unlike Tom (I think), I do believe that there is demand (possibly only
> from a limited number of people, but demand all the same) for this
> feature.

Please note that I do not think there is *zero* demand for the feature.
There is obviously some.  What I find highly dubious is whether there is
enough demand to justify the amount of effort, both short- and long-term,
that the community would have to put into it.

> And I also believe that most people in our community are
> generally supportive of the idea, but only a minority are willing to
> put in time to make it happen.  So I have no problem saying to the
> people who want the feature - none of our committers feel like working
> on this.  Sorry.  On the other hand, I also have no problem telling
> them - good news, Bruce Momjian thinks this is a great feature and
> wants to help you get it done.  I *do* have a problem with saying - we
> don't really know whether anyone will ever want to work on this with
> you or not.

If I thought that Bruce could go off in a corner and make this happen
and it would create no demands on anybody but him and KaiGai-san, I
would say "fine, if that's where you want to spend your time, go for
it".  But even to state that implied claim is to see how false it is.
Bruce is pointing to the Windows port, but he didn't make it happen
by himself, or any close approximation of that.  Everybody who works
on this project has been affected by that, and we're *still* putting
significant amounts of time into Windows compatibility, over five years
later.

My guess is that a credible SEPostgres offering will require a long-term
amount of work at least equal to, and very possibly a good deal more
than, what it took to make a native Windows port.  If SEPostgres could
bring us even 10% as many new users as the Windows port did, it'd
probably be a worthwhile use of our resources.  But again, that's an
assumption that's difficult to type without bursting into laughter.
        regards, tom lane