which database?

Anon

Okay, first off, I have a computer running Windows ME, and I have php 4 installed on my computer. I also have apache web server installed. I did this so I could view PHP pages I created in Dreamweaver without having to have a host support them. I have noticed that a database is something I would like to use, but I don't know which one I should use on my computer.

I have Microsoft Access '97 already, but heard mySQL is better for PHP, but also it has problems with Windows computers :/

I am really new to the whole PHP thing, so any info on any type of database would be helpful so I don't learn the commands for one database, when another would have been better. (run-on sentence anyone?)

BTW, please see my site and tell me what you think of it so far (layout wise) http://www.gamecubetogo.com/dodhangout

Thanks everyone,
Shawn

Anon

hey man, i used mysql with omnihttpd, php4 on win 98se no problem running a fairly busy site. never had a problem, just had to restart it every morning let everything take a break. you should just get linux, its easy (well kinda, once you get past the inital headaches, fustrations, and anger), because its way more stable than windows, its alot faster, and its fun. it makes it feel more professional 🙂 oh and if you are gonna use linux, i suggest getting calderas openlinux server 3.11 (make sure you have a pentium 4 or amd anthlon+ cpu, its for i686), its got everything pre-configured (apache, mysql, php) right out of the box with a nice easy to use graphic install. so yeah, thats my $0.02. But if you are gonna use windows, use omnihttpd, it comes pretty much preconfigured to kick ass with php4 and mysql.

dodhangout

Where do I get this?

[deleted]

Redhat also comes with everything installed, and is as free as the next linux.

www.redhat.com

also, mysql is a nice start, but no where near usable for a production site. As you're still learning, consider moving straight on to postgreSQL, that gives you a lot more functionality and is just as free and easy as mysql.

Anon

whats better about postgresSQL than mySQL ? i donno anything about postgres, i just use mysql cause it seems to be the most common and has the easiest to find support and its fairly easy to use.

dodhangout

yes, what is better about it?

Anon

Which database depends on what you are using it for - I moved from mysql to postgres primarily because it is a rdbms, while mysql is not. It is a more sophisticate database than mysql. The advantage of mysql, i.e. speed, has diminished as Postgres has made major improvements to the planner.

I seriously considered oracle also...but I opted for postgres as it was FREE and had all the functionality I needed.

Anon

Other areas that Postgresql is "better" in that MySQL:

Fully transactional database.
BSD style license ensures it will always be free. MySQL uses GPL. If you might need to redistribute either database, the BSD style is MUCH easier to comply with.
Triggers
Full Foreign Key constraints with cascading deletes
Several languages available for server side function writing.
Write Ahead Logging ensures data consistency even in the worst of crashes.
the psql monitor program has complete syntax diagrams online so you never have to pull up docs to remember which keywords go where.
Command / table name completion in psql rocks too.
Unlimited table / database size.
Can run on and utilize >1 CPUs.
VERY open and examinable design / development process, and lots of supports via email lists available.
DOESN'T run natively on windows, this is a plus, as Windows isn't really a stable enough platform to host a database on. (IMHO, YMMV)

Lastly, ROCK SOLID stability (as long as your hardware isn't shaky, no program can compensate for bad hardware)