I have added this psql backslash discussion to TODO.detail.
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Peter Eisentraut wrote:
> Tom Lane wrote:
> > But this interacts with point 3 (psql breaks on every new backend
> > version). It's not desirable to have every GUI and large custom
> > program implementing its own set of metadata inquiry commands: they
> > all have to go through the same update pain as psql. Perhaps if
> > people start to rely on information_schema for those things, life
> > will get better, but I'm unconvinced that will happen. psql itself
> > certainly hasn't moved in that direction.
>
> IIRC, the two killers in psql compatibility have been outer joins and
> schemas. I don't see how we could have avoided that, except with
> highly specialized and static (parameter-less) commands. There have
> been additional minor issues, but I suppose we could have avoided those
> if we had cared to do so at all.
>
> Several people have in the past proposed to keep psql backward
> compatible, even if only by means of
>
> if (version =x) {
> ...
> }
> else if (version = y) {
> ...
> }
>
> (which would be fine by me), but apparently no one has felt pressed
> enough yet.
>
>
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