New to databases

[Vapor]

I love coding, and enjoy the outcome of what I can produce. But as everyone knows, you can only do so much in html, javascript etc... The real power is behind those monster databases. Unfortunatly I am unfamiliar to databases along with anything associated with them. I have asked many people about mysql and database basics. I would like to know the following:

Where can I get a free database? (if such a thing exists)
Where can I learn basic database skills?

I would like to learn how to create a chat using a login (personalized) database. Where can I learn to do this?

Thanks

[JamieR]

mySQL is free, I think.

You can learn mysql syntax over at http://dev.mysql.com/ :) If you want to learn how to make a login script etc, take a look at the php/mysql tutorials which are already on the internet.

Jamie.

[Basscyst]

Or if you want to go with SQL Server and the ASP side of the house:

SQL Server (developers addition, not for production but great for learning and free.):
MSDE 2000 (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=413744D1-A0BC-479F-BAFA-E4B278EB9147&displaylang=en)

For database administration:
SQL Server Data Administrator (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=C039A798-C57A-419E-ACBC-2A332CB7F959&displaylang=en)

Issues can arise the first time you install Data admin, just post back if you have problems, there are some dlls you may need to register, you also need to have the .NET framework (http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/downloads/framework1_1/) installed.

Learn VBScript
VBScript Tutorial (http://www.w3schools.com/vbscript/default.asp)

Learn SQL:
SQL Tutorial (http://www.w3schools.com/sql/default.asp)

Learn ASP:
ASP Tutorial (http://www.w3schools.com/asp/default.asp)

Learn ADO:
ADO Tutorial (http://www.w3schools.com/ado/default.asp)

Good Luck,
Basscyst

[Kurashu]

PostGreSQL is good competitor to MySQL.

www.postgres.org

[Vapor]

Wow dude,

Thanks for all the references.

[little_toaster]

Im new to web databases too and have found the
easiest way to get to grips;

Access database
ASP
IIS (free 98/xp pro/2000 pro)

then I have progressed to;

access (converted to sql database)
ASP using more SQL commands.
MYSQL

ASP is the scripting language hosted on an IIS Server, the database I have used is an access database which connects to IIS using ADO (connection object), you can use DSN (data source name) or a DSN-less connection called OLE-DB. SQL is the language for manipulating the database, ie add records,