MySQL I : Resources

MySQL Resources
The current stable version of MySQL is 3.23.52. Version 4.x is the current development release and is not yet considered stable. Both versions can be downloaded from http://www.mysql.com/downloads
MySQL Books
*** Excellent
** OK
* Don’t waste your money
*** Beginning Databases with MySQL, by Neil Matthew and Richard Stones. WROX Press. 2002. ISBN 1-861-006-92-6. $39.99. This one is quite well written. It gets into advanced topics like C++ and Java integration.
*** MySQL Cookbook, by Paul DuBois. O’Reilly & Associates; ISBN: 0596001452; 1st Edition, (November 2002). This one is indispensable!
*** MySQL, by Paul DuBois. New Riders Publishing; ISBN: 0735709211; 1st edition (December 28, 1999). Another well-written introduction to MySQL.
** MySQL Visual Quickstart Guide, by Larry Ullman. Peachpit Press. ISBN: 0-321-12731-5. $21.99 (Note: I would have given our classroom text three stars, except that it has a higher-than-usual number of errors and typos for a Peachpit Press book. Hopefully the second edition will be more carefully proofread.
** Sams Teach Yourself PHP, MySQL and Apache in 24 Hours. OK if you need to get started quickly, but otherwise, there are better books available.
MySQL Links
• http://www.mysql.com – the source for the MySQL product, including it’s many different versions and configurations. Also includes third party tools (like MyCC, MySQL GUI, and MyODBC), and online product documentation. The MySQL Documentation is at: http://www.mysql.com/documentation. Get MySQL and associated tools at: http://www.mysql.com/downloads.
Associated Software
• Access-To-MySQL. This is a program that converts Microsoft Access databases to MySQL, using a GUI interface. It is not a free program, but does have a free demo that will convert table structures, but not data. Available on the web at: http://www.convert-in.com/acc2sql.htm
• KSQL. KDE, the open source Linux window manager, has a new GUI for managing MySQL in progress. Available at http://ksql.sourceforge.net

MySQL Discussion Forums
• Forums and Mailing Lists (Listservs) are email-based discussion groups. Beginners and experts help each other out. Highly recommended, and the best way to solve a technical problem quickly.
• A list of MySQL forums is at: http://www.mysql.com/documentation/lists.html
• Another source of answers is Google Groups Advanced Search, at: http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?hl=en
MySQL Online Tutorials:
• An excellent collection of online tutorials is available at: http://www.devshed.com/Server_Side/mysql/
• A good tutorial on quickly configuring MySQL, Apache, and PHP on Linux is at: http://sysbotz.com/articles/amp.htm