>> I loose my history in psql (I can't use the arrows anymore...)
psql relies on the GNU readline library for history. readline has
existed in a remarkable number of different versions, and sometimes
our configure script fails to realize that you have it installed.
I'd recommend that you install the latest readline from a GNU archive,
then re-run configure and rebuild postgres. You don't need to initdb,
just install the new psql executable.
If you're using an RPM installation of readline, note that you must
install readline's devel RPM as well as the executable. Else you
won't have the include files for it.
regards, tom lane