Postgres can only use a max of 16 parameters for its arguments, and unlike Oracle, you cannot use optional, non-position sensitive arguments. In the case of the content repository, Dan W. had to be "creative" in porting the CR API because most functions pass a lot fo arguments. In particular, at least 5 of the *__new functions come from arguments that are eventually passed on to acs_object__new.
The 16 parameter limit can be changed by a recompile of postgres, (see this thread) requiring people to change a default parameter in the source code and recompile postgres may be too much of a burden for a nascent project like openacs.
