# SQL users - I have software question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 19, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sql-users-i-have-software-question/506903 "2009-08-19T00:28:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sql-users-i-have-software-question/506903/21 "2009-08-19T19:11:19Z")
Millions of records is chump change for an Oracle database. Based on what you’ve written, I’d recommend learning the basics with a simple free relational database like MySQL or postgres instead of jumping straight into the somewhat confusing world of SQL Server and Oracle, with all their myriad options and packages. MySQL doesn’t require anything special to use, as long as you’re comfortable typing things on a commandline. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sql-users-i-have-software-question/506903/22 "2009-08-19T19:35:04Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Millions of records is chump change for an Oracle database. > > Based on what you’ve written, I’d recommend learning the basics with a simple free relational database like MySQL or postgres instead of jumping straight into the somewhat confusing world of SQL Server and Oracle, with all their myriad options and packages. MySQL doesn’t require anything special to use, as long as you’re comfortable typing things on a commandline. OK, everybody seems to think MySQL would serve my purposes. What exactly am I downloading from their site? ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sql-users-i-have-software-question/506903/23 "2009-08-19T19:35:29Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > They were huge files, complete data dumps for a year of product movement. We had problems just getting the file through the email system. It wasn’t a function of tables it was a function of lines within a single table. It was millions of lines. Millions of rows is not large for Oracle. I recently read in a forum a person with 800 million rows in one of their tables. > [@](#): > > I certainly don’t need to handle large files to practice with. So is Management Studio Express a stand alone program, does it require an “engine” and if so, will MS SQL server 2005 work? I would assume Management Studio Express requires the DB, based on the fact that Management Studio (which I use) just connects to the DB. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sql-users-i-have-software-question/506903/24 "2009-08-19T19:49:38Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > They were huge files, complete data dumps for a year of product movement. We had problems just getting the file through the email system. It wasn’t a function of tables it was a function of lines within a single table. It was millions of lines. > > I certainly don’t need to handle large files to practice with. So is Management Studio Express a stand alone program, does it require an “engine” and if so, will MS SQL server 2005 work? SQL Server (the complete, paid-for version of the engine) includes Management Studio. SQL Server Express (the free version of the engine) needs Management Studio Express, which is also free. You can download both of them in a single download here: [http://www.microsoft.com/express/sql/download/](http://www.microsoft.com/express/sql/download/) . Select the “Runtime with Management Tools” option. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sql-users-i-have-software-question/506903/25 "2009-08-19T20:05:00Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > OK, everybody seems to think MySQL would serve my purposes. What exactly am I downloading from their site? I don’t think MySQL will suit your needs if you are talking about becoming a DBA. It’s a simplistic, poorly designed DBMS that nobody in the world would use to run something they actually depended on. Message board? Yep. Inventory system? Only if you have an insanely small budget and no real knowledge about disaster recovery or business continuity planning. And anything you can send over e-mail will import into a Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle DB with no problems. A developer edition of SQL 2005 costs somewhere around 100 bucks and has the full functionality of an enterprise edition of SQL Server 2005, you just aren’t allowed to use it for running your business DBs. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sql-users-i-have-software-question/506903/26 "2009-08-19T20:31:14Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > SQL Server (the complete, paid-for version of the engine) includes Management Studio. SQL Server Express (the free version of the engine) needs Management Studio Express, which is also free. > > You can download both of them in a single download here: [http://www.microsoft.com/express/sql/download/](http://www.microsoft.com/express/sql/download/) . Select the “Runtime with Management Tools” option. OK, it appears that in addition to downloading MS SQL Server 2005 I also have MS Management Studio Express. where does MS Visual Studio 2005 fit into this (also downloaded). ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sql-users-i-have-software-question/506903/27 "2009-08-19T20:39:26Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > OK, it appears that in addition to downloading MS SQL Server 2005 I also have MS Management Studio Express. where does MS Visual Studio 2005 fit into this (also downloaded). If you are interested in learning SQL and/or DBA skills, you don’t really need Visual Studio. VS is primarily a programming environment for writing .NET desktop or web applications, and building certain advanced SQL Server projects, including Analysis Services and Reporting Services. For basic SQL, it’s totally unnecessary and totally overkill. I would recommend SQL Server Express 2008 over 2005; there are several user interface improvements that make it far easier to use - AutoComplete being the biggest of them, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![KellyCriterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@KellyCriterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyCriterion)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sql-users-i-have-software-question/506903/28 "2009-08-19T21:04:20Z")
If you’re getting tired of downloading huge software packages, playing with them for hours, and still not even reaching the point that you can run your own queries, here’s what might be a faster way: Following these steps should get you to the point that you can start running MySQL queries through a query window, as well as providing a graphical view if that is what you also desire. 1. Download [XAMPP](http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp.html) (it’s about 44 meg). (I assume you’re running Windows. Just download the EXE). 2. Run the EXE, and install XAMPP in to a directory (eg, c:\xampp) 3. You’ll now need to create a small command file that will give you a query window. Here’s one way to do it: - Open Notepad - Copy and paste the following to the notepad file: > [@](#): > > c: > cd \xampp\mysql\bin > mysql -u root -p > pause (If you installed XAMPP in to a directory other than c:\xampp, you’ll need to change the path accordingly). - Click ‘Save As..’ - Next to ‘Save as Type’ (could also be ‘File Type’), change it to ‘All files’ - Name the file _startMySQLMonitorUser.cmd_ - Save the file, make sure you place it in your XAMPP directory Now.. start XAMPP (use the **xampp\_restart.exe** to do this). Wait a few moments for it to start. THEN double click your _startMySQLMonitorUser.cmd_ file. You might be prompted for a password, but just press Enter. Fingers crossed.. you now have yourself a query window. To make sure it’s working, run this simple query (by typing it in to the query window) > [@](#): > > **SHOW databases;** This command will show you all databases in your MySQL set up (MySQL comes with two or three default databases, if memory serves correct). If you’d like a graphical representation of the databases, make sure XAMPP is running, and then point your web browser to: [http://localhost/phpmyadmin/](http://localhost/phpmyadmin/) Your databases should be listed down the left hand side. You can Google around for MySQL tutorials to get you started on learning database concepts. As has been explained in this thread already, the actual SQL syntax is virtually the same, regardless of which SQL software you are using, so you will be able to port these skills to any other SQL platform. Need any further help, let me know. Be sure to close XAMPP when you are finished using it. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sql-users-i-have-software-question/506903/29 "2009-08-20T03:23:06Z")
Thank you one and all. Your input was very helpful and I will eventually be tinkering will all the different versions as time permits. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sql-users-i-have-software-question/506903.md?page=1)