[PLUG] Database question

Michael Ewan mhewan1 at comcast.net
Fri Jul 3 14:34:26 UTC 2009


Rich Shepard wrote:
> On Thu, 2 Jul 2009, Amy Kelly wrote:
>
>   
>> Mostly for my own education, I want to set up a database that would track
>> names, addresses, contact numbers and email addresses, and hours worked
>> monthly and be able to pull it into a report every quarter, plus be easier
>> to keep updated than their current paper system.
>>     
>
> Amy,
>
>    Yes, postgres will work well for what you want, but there is an
> alternative approach that is easier to learn, easier to maintain, and will
> fit the organization's needs quite well. It will also allow you to focus on
> learning SQL and DBA with a comparatively simple system; you can expand your
> knowledge from this base.
>
>    Take a look at SQLite <http://www.sqlite.org/>. It's a fully relational
> DBMS that can be embedded in applications written in juat about any
> language. Single file, easy maintenance, no hassles to maintaining it on a
> server or workstation. I use Python (with the wxPython GUI widgets) as the
> front end and middleware with SQLite as the back end. Works great.
>
>    Since you have the time, read Joe Celko's "SQL Programming Style" and "SQL
> for Smarties, 3rd Edition" and Rick van der Laans' "Introduction to SQL, 4th
> Edition." The latter has a great section on time-based queries which you'll
> want to use for reports on a volunteer time database.
>
> Have fun,
>
> Rich
>
>   
I agree with everything said so far, and add that you should try to 
learn database design before jumping into SQL or which database to use.  
Learning good design will simplify learning SQL, since you will 
understand the structure behind the language.  There are several good 
books available on the subject, start there rather than a book 
specifically on SQL, since most of the design books will teach the 
basics of SQL.

On the question of Joomla, most CMS's use MySQL as the backend, but you 
could try Drupal which has a contact module, and a MySQL backend.  It's 
written mostly in php.

If you want to go all out, try one of the open source ERP/CRM packages 
like OpenERP.





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