Creating a New Database

Hello all. I'm new to these boards, and new to databases.

I was just hired as a student intern for this company for the summer. My main goal is to build an interactive database for their website. It's a simple database, however. The goal is to create a web-based, sortable (by keyword), flexible database that can be easily accessed and used by anyone who chooses to go to the web site.

We are currently gathering the data now, but it's very simple data. It runs along the lines of "Professor Name", "Professor's School", "Field of Research", "Phone Number", "e-mail", etc. Nothing too complex, all very simple. The idea is that I could go to the webpage, search for "researching sensors" and every professor who researched sensors would be displayed. Sounds simple right? They would also like for the professors to be able to edit/enter their own data into the database at some point.

I've never worked with databases before. I have, however, done html/basic cgi-scripting/worked with servers. I have no used Linux, and as far as I'm concerned it isn't anywhere on these computers. This is relatively my first day here, but I'm pretty sure these people aren't knowledable in how to create the database either.

I am, however, on a time frame. I have until the beginning of August, so not much time. I'm a quick learner - but not sure how much 2 and a half months is for compiling a database.

I guess my main few questions (and if you can help, that'd be so appreciated) are these. I looked at Oracle or MySQL - and it seems they all require you to be running Linux - is there an alternative to this? I think that learning Linux and programming a database in 2 months might be pushing it. Also - there is this service, Caspio (http://www.caspio.com/bridgetour/) that offers an online, interactive database creator. Has anyone used this? It seems rather pricy - and not sure how interactive/complete it is. How about Microsoft Access - how difficult is it to get a working online database using it? From what I've read - it seems rather difficult. I suppose I'm in a bind - and I'm continuing to read - but I just want some insight as to which direction I need to head towards, if anyone has any.

I'd appreciate it greatly,

Thanks.

Ross
ross@virginia.edu

Microsoft Access is almost suitable for a small desktop database with one user, but don't even consider using it for multiuser applications. It was made for single users, and trying to make it work in a multiuser environment is approximately as successful as adding a motor to your bicycle to try making it a motorcycle. Oracle is a great database, but it requires extensive maintenance and you need a lot of skill just to administer it (read: don't do this unless your company is willing to hire one employee for administering the database).

MySQL could suffice if your demands are not too high, but it is a rather limited database and once you hit the limits you have no escape. Though it it pretty quick at reading data, so it should suffice if you only want lots of readers and not simultaneous writers updating the same record.

Other databases that you ought to consider include Firebird and PostgreSQL. Myself, I only use Firebird and can confirm that it is a great database to work with. From reading news groups I think PostgreSQL - unlike MySQL - is a contender to be taken seriously, and you should examine both Firebird and PostgreSQL since I am very biased One of the advantages of Firebird, is that it requires very little maintenance (I remember someone telling that he installed it at a site, and then just let it run for a year or two without any maintenance at all). I don't know much about SAP db, but my impression is that it is inferior to Firebird and PostgreSQL.

You also have a couple of other commercial databases, like DB2 and MS SQL Server. DB2 I think is OK, whereas SQL Server does things its own way (I don't like the little I've heard about it - particularly not Microsofts attempt to redefine SQL according to its own liking and people escaping from it need to learn a more proper way to do things). InterBase is a good commercial database, but Firebird was originally born from InterBase and is basically InterBase with most bugs removed (although it also miss some a few new features that the Firebird developers haven't added - mostly due to it not being possible without major changes making everything more error prone).

But a database in itself is not enough for you. You need it to run on some kind of operating system (what kind of operating system is your employer familiar with?), and you need some way to interact with your database. I cannot help you much here, since I've only experience with using Firebird with Borland Delphi. You may want to check what options there are and include this when choosing database. The advantage of Linux is that it is more solid than Windows and that you can let a Linux machine run longer without rebooting than a Windows machine. Though your application seems as if it allows for some downtime, so running Windows should suffice. I don't know whether all databases exists for both Linux and Windows, I know Firebird does and I expect a few of the others to do so to, but the only thing that I know for certain is that MS SQL Server only runs on Windows.

As for a tool to create your database, well, decide which database to use first and then ask the question again.

HTH,

MySQL runs on both windows and linux machines. MSSQL can only run on windows, but it is possible to connect to it via a linux machine.

If "field of research" will contain a description and not only keywords, then the full text indexing ability of MySQL (and other dbs) are very useful.
See http://www.databasejournal.com/feat...cle.php/1578331

Thank you all for you help and insight. It's greatly appreciated, more than you know.

Just to put in my two cents worth, I totally disagree with the advice on Access. People who talk about these supposed limitations of Access usually just don't know how to use it properly. I think it's fast and simple and inexpensive.

the best via web is APACHE/MySQL/PHP
all included in (!all 4 free!)
URL
check it out