postgresql - Can I use the ubuntu default postgres with heroku? -

i'm writing web app run on heroku using postgresql. on servers, environment variable provided like:

export database_url=postgresql://localhost:5432/iqtest 

they advise when running app locally, should disable usual postgres setup used in debian/ubuntu, , run server locally 'to avoid permissions issues'.

you can create database like:

/usr/lib/postgresql/9.1/bin/initdb pg 

and run server like:

/usr/lib/postgresql/9.1/bin/postgres -d pg 

this works fine, wonder if it's possible system setup instead.

i can't find simple explanation of how debian/ubuntu standard setup supposed work or how you're supposed use it, , experiments have ended demanding password, , warning me it's going write disk plaintext.

has managed standard setup work heroku-style app without having appalling?

as secondary question, there graphical (or text ui) browser/editor postgres tables? can use psql , sql commands, point , click nicer. pgadmin3 won't connect database if i'm running locally.

yes, should fine use system ubuntu version instead. don't know mean regarding permission issues guess pg_hba.conf file confusing people , suggesting default insecure initdb configuration (where no passwords set) considered easier documenting it.

before doing want review docs on file. reading file comments helps no substitute docs. assuming on postgresql 9.1, docs @ http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/static/auth-pg-hba-conf.html. there changes files in 9.1, if on earlier version should check docs version.