The PostgreSQL Global Development Group has released a bug-fix update to all current versions of the PostgreSQL database system, including versions 9.3.1, 9.2.5, 9.1.10, 9.0.14, and 8.4.18. This release fixes many minor issues reported by our community over the last six months. All users should update their PostgreSQL installations at the next regular maintenance window.

In this release are fixes for the recently-released version 9.3, including:

• Update hstore extension with JSON functionality
• Prevent memory leak when creating range indexes
• Fix libpq SSL deadlock bug

In addition to the above, there are a few dozen minor bug fixes for older versions. These patches were already included in 9.3.0 when released. Among them are:

• Guarantee transmission of all WAL files before replica failover
• Prevent downcasing of non-ASCII identifiers
• Fix several minor memory leaks
• Correct overcommit behavior when using more than 24GB of work memory
• Improve planner cost estimates for choosing generic plans
• Fix estimates of NULL rows in boolean columns
• Make UNION ALL and inheritance query plans recheck parameterized paths
• Correct pg_dump bugs for foreign tables, views, and extensions
• Prevent a parallel pg_restore failure on certain indexes
• Make REINDEX revalidate constraints
• Prevent two deadlock issues in SP-GIST and REINDEX CONCURRENTLY
• Prevent GiST index lookup crash
• Fix several regular expression failures
• Allow ALTER DEFAULT PRIVILEGES to work on all schemas
• Loosen restrictions on keywords
• Allow various spellings of infinity
• Expand ability to compare rows to records and arrays
• Prevent psql client crash on bad PSQLRC file
• Add spinlock support for ARM64

Note that users of the hstore extension on version 9.3 must take an additional, post upgrade step of running "ALTER EXTENSION hstore UPDATE" in each database after update.

As with other minor releases, users are not required to dump and reload their database or use pg_upgrade in order to apply this update release; you may simply shut down PostgreSQL and update its binaries. Users who have skipped multiple update releases may need to perform additional, post-update steps; see the Release Notes for details.

Links: * Download * Release Notes

REDMOND, Wash. — Oct. 9, 2013 — Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday announced it is hosting a series of midnight launch events at 10 Microsoft retail stores across the nation to celebrate the launch of Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2. Starting at 10 p.m. local time on Oct. 21, each participating store will host the Surface Challenge, offering contestants in each market a chance to go head-to-head in a series of fun, interactive and sometimes physical games for a chance to be whisked away to Orlando, Fla., the next morning for the Mall at Millenia store opening, where Pitbull will perform.

Attendees are encouraged to join the event in advance at the Microsoft Store Facebook page. At the event, they will have the chance to win dozens of other prizes as well as be among the first to check out both Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 along with the latest accessories before they’re available to the public on Oct. 22. In addition to the 10 midnight launch events, the remainder of the more than 70 Microsoft retail stores will be holding events and giveaways to celebrate the new Surface later this month. Details will be posted at http://www.microsoftstore.com as they become available, or people can visit their local Microsoft retail store to find out more.

“We’ve worked hard to ensure that Microsoft retail stores will be the best place to experience and purchase the most productive tablet on the planet — Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2,” said David McAughan, chief operating officer of Microsoft Retail Stores. “Our stores are all about having fun with our customers and connecting with local communities. These Surface launch events are a great example of the type of experiences you can enjoy at our stores as we kick off the holiday season.”

Events will take place in the following locations:

• Bellevue Square Mall

• Westfield San Francisco Centre

• Scottsdale Fashion Square

• Dadeland Mall (Miami)

• Lennox Square Mall (Atlanta)

• The Shops at Prudential Center (Boston)

• The Westchester (White Plains, N.Y.)

• The Domain (Austin, Texas)

• The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City (Arlington, Va.)

• Oakbrook Center Mall (Oak Brook, Ill.)

Surface 2 includes significant new features — it’s thinner, faster and so much more than a tablet. A powerful laptop in a tablet package, Surface Pro 2 is a notable improvement, providing faster performance and significantly longer battery life. Both devices also feature a new lineup of Surface accessories.

Microsoft continues to expand its existing retail footprint in the U.S., offering an assortment of best-in-class products, including Windows PCs, Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2, Windows Phones, Kinect for Xbox 360, Office, and more. Microsoft aims to provide a premium retail experience that is entertaining, educational and as easy as possible with these new locations. More information can be found at http://www.microsoftstore.com.

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspective from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — Oct. 9, 2013 — Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday unveiled the 4Afrika Advisory Council, an external board of advisers tasked with guiding strategic investments undertaken by the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative across the continent and ensuring 4Afrika is closely aligned to broad African development goals. His Excellency Benjamin Mkapa, former president of the United Republic of Tanzania chairs the board, and Mteto Nyati, managing director of Microsoft South Africa, serves as the vice chair.

The Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative was introduced in February 2013 as an effort through which the company is actively engaging in Africa’s economic development to improve its global competitiveness. To help ensure the initiative meets its critical goals, Microsoft 4Afrika chose to form the 4Afrika Advisory Council to solicit external input and guidance from a respected group of regional influencers.

Other members of the 4Afrika Advisory Council include Juliana Rotich, executive director for Ushahidi and senior TED fellow from Kenya; Hanan Abdelmeguid, CEO of Orascom Telecom Ventures in Egypt; Bright Simons, social innovator, entrepreneur, writer and researcher in Ghana; Florence Iwegbue, co-founder LiveWello LLC in Nigeria; Marieme Jamme, Senegalese-born and London-based CEO, blogger, technologist and social entrepreneur; Luís Lélis, executive director at Banco Angolano de Investimentos in Angola; Phuti Mahanyele, CEO of Shanduka Group in South Africa; Richard Attias, founder of The New York Forum and Moroccan events producer; Benjamin Mophatlane, CEO of Business Connexion in South Africa; and Monica Musonda, CEO of Java Foods and board member of the Bank of Zambia. Louis Otieno, director of Legal and Corporate affairs for Microsoft Africa, will serve as the council secretary.

“I am deeply honored to chair the 4Afrika Advisory Council and to represent this prestigious group of council members because we all believe deeply in Microsoft 4Afrika’s mission to help Africa improve its global competitiveness,” Mkapa said. “Together with the Microsoft team, we look forward to helping to grow African leaders, encourage and support African businesses and highlight African innovation here on the continent and on the world stage.”

The council had its first meeting Oct. 4, 2013, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. At this meeting, the council discussed topics relevant to advancing the 4Afrika mission, including the importance of developing strategies that address both rural and urban youth populations, the role of teachers as content creators, and approaches to building sustainable models for growth of African entrepreneurs and small businesses.

In addition, to ensure that the critical voices of African youth are heard, the council made provisions for four additional slots on the 4Afrika Advisory Council, to be occupied by youth leaders from the continent. Candidates were selected from existing African youth leadership groups, including U.S. President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative, the African Leadership Network, the African Leadership Initiative, the Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellowship Program and the World Economic Forum’s Forum of Young Global Leaders. Nominees will be contacted in the coming weeks with formal invitations to join the 4Afrika Advisory Council.

“As established influencers and innovators in Africa, we know that this group composing the 4Afrika Advisory Council will make highly impactful contributions to Microsoft 4Afrika’s efforts to shape development priorities across the continent with the use of technology as an enabler,” Nyati said. “Not only will the group help Microsoft 4Afrika to understand and engage in existing areas of untapped potential, but we are confident it will also help us break new ground within the initiative’s targeted sectors, including healthcare, education and small business enablement.”

The council will meet in person twice annually and will also hold regionally focused meetings at other times in the year. The council members have also committed to contribute to 4Afrika efforts in capacity-building with African youth leaders.

The Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative is built on the dual beliefs that technology can accelerate growth for Africa and Africa can also accelerate technology for the world. More information is available at http://www.microsoft.com/4afrika.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.