Mysql install help

[Derek Broughton]

Jeremiah Foster wrote:

> On Thu, 2006-01-19 at 09:41 +0200, Billy Verreynne (JW) wrote:
>> 
>> Wade Smart wrote:
>> 
>> > I tried to do this, install mysql, some months ago but hit so many
>> > obstacles that I just put it off. Now Im trying again.
>> 
>> Well, mySQL is a bunch of.. er.. smelly stuff. If you honestly need an
>> Open Source rdbms (i.e. as in access to db core engine source code),
>> use Firebird.
>> 
> Rubbish. MySQL is the leading open source database for a reason. It is
> fast and rock solid. Not to slight postgres which is older and probably
> more stable as well as geared to larger installations.

Agreed.  Both have their advantages, and both are imo better at this point
than Firebird - which certainly doesn't have the long track history of
mysql and postgres.
 
>> If you need a -proper- database that is not only free, but is part of
>> the leading technical database product suite on this planet, get
>> Oracle XE.
>> 
> More rubbish. Is that database GPL'd? Can Oracle change it any time it
> wants? Does it use the InnoDB - which is the same engine as MySQL which
> Oracle bought?

It's not rubbish (either the software or the statement) but it IS beta
software (and of course it isn't GPL).  I'm not sure what Oracle plans for
InnoDB, but it will be far more likely to be anti-competitive than useful. 
Oracle IS an absolutely first-rate database and doesn't likely need
anything they get from InnoDB to improve it, but otoh (despite their
promise) they could certainly damage MySQL's prospects.

>> It comes with HTMLDB which is a full blown web development
>> system that only needs a web browser for developers to do their thing.
>> (think of Microsoft Access on steroids, running via the web).
>> 
> I'd rather not think about Access at all.

Heavens, no!  It doesn't sound that impressive!
> 
>> And Oracle XE works out-of-the-rpm on Ubuntu. 

Not on mine it didn't (otoh, Oracle 10g v1 did).

>> And is -totally- free. 
> 
> Don't use proprietary software. Ever.

<raspberry />  I've got no use for that brand of religion, but it clearly
_isn't_ totally free.  It's "heavily encumbered", but worth every penny you
pay for it!
-- 
derek