DBMS's

[Gerald I. Evenden]

What a headache I got into with what I thought was a pretty simple installation of a relational database: in this case sr19 from USDA with a thorough documentation and clear layout of the tables.  Piece of cake.

Since MySQL was on my system and I was using it for some flat-file storage of personal information it was my first choice.

After banging my head for three days I could not get MySQL to join two tables properly (it misses every other row on the second table).

Now I am in a quandry.  Spend time on some MySQL group trying to resolve this issue which may be due to some arcane ISAM file handling problem or try another DBMS.  I figured the latter my take less time.

So I decided to try the DBMS in the OpenOffice package.  Ugh, it continually hung up and goes into hyperspace.  Never got to loading data nor resolving join problems.

Next, I saw HSQL and tried that.  Slow to get anywhere and could not find much documentation nor indication that anyone was using it on the net.

Lastly, I decided to install Postgresql.  The list of software for this system is mindboggling and seemingly impossible to figure which files one needs to install.  At the moment, postmaster seems to be running BUT I can't find the 'initdb' (other than a copy in cygwin/bin ---not linux).  And I am still in the "setup" phase, thrashing around.  Interestingly, the man file for initdb is installed but where is the f_____g program?

My question is: is it better to try and resolve the MySQL join problem or find some instructions/procedures to complete the Postgresql installation?

Sorry for the verbosity but I am venting.

Thanks for any suggestions.
-- 
The whole religious complexion of the modern world is due
to the absence from Jerusalem of a lunatic asylum.
-- Havelock Ellis (1859-1939)  British psychologist
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