[HACKERS] Re: New data type: uniqueidentifier

[Thomas Swan]

Peter Eisentraut wrote:

Dmitry G. Mastrukov writes:

I've developed new data type for PostgreSQL - unique identifier - 128-bit
value claims to be unique across Universe. It depends on libuuid from
e2fsprogs by Theodore Ts'o.

ISTM that this should be a function, not a data type.

I'd second the function idea: function uuid( ) returns an int8 value; don't create a bazillion datatypes.  Besides, 128 bit numbers are 7 byte integers.   PostgreSQL has an int8 (8 byte integer) datatype.  While I like the UUID function idea, I'd recommend a better solution to creating an "unique" identifier.  Why not create a serial8 datatype: int8 with an int8 sequence = 256bit "unique" number.  {Yes, I know I'm violating my first sentence.}  Then, you'd have the same thing (or better) AND your not relying on randomness.