UPDATE: Tuesday, 07-Mar-2006 1:16 PM

It's amazing what I am able to do without writing code. I remember way back when I first got my dial up account in 1994, and then my first web space shortly after. I remember the frustration of not being able to write HTML code. Then I remember the frustration of not being able to do any database programming.

I spent a lot of time testing CGI programs that were able to manipulate databases, but they didn't get the job done and always broke down.

Then my focus shifted to designing and planning the network and leaving the programming to the professionals. Following last spring's firing of all of our programmers I had to do something to get the network going. So, it was back to school (well online reading and testing) to learn about databases and programming. As I had mentioned earlier a lot of new tools to work with MySQL have come out. In addition, a lot of new tools to work with PHP have come up.

For those of you who are new to the design and programming environment or even to the Internet, MySQL is a database that is free to download and use. Most hosting accounts will come with at least one MySQL database. Way back in the late 90's MySQL was just a gimmick and getting started. At that time the real work horse was Oracle (well, it still is in many ways) and if we were going to design a "killer app" that was going to be the next best thing to sliced break we'd go with Oracle(R).

Well, times have changed. After many updates MySQL can now do a lot of things and handle hundreds of users PER second. At one time very sophisticated programming had to be done to use MySQL. Now many of the advanced functions are already built into MySQL.

So, the times have changed, and it has given me a lot of opportunities to work and build on the ideas that I have had.

IF you are wondering about the tools that I use to build the applications, here they are:

I am using MYSQLog to setup, change and optimize the MySQL database that I have created. Actually, creating a MySQL database is also easy using a GUI (Graphic User Interface) that you'll find running most of the hosting accounts. In my case we have PLESK 7.5 installed on our servers. That enables me to manage most of the hosting applications, and allow our programmers the access that they need.

So, once the MySQL account is setup, then one can easily connect to it using MYSQLog and set about programming and optimizing the database.

Once that is done, you can setup very nice applications by using a program like PHP Runner that can write the PHP code that will interact with a MySQL database. In my case I didn't know PHP from PHI just six months ago and now I can setup basic operations on the Internet.

I was doing well with what I had in mind and then ran into a problem just a week or so. Then I analyzed the problem on paper and realized that my stumbling block was that I could not get data the way I wanted into a database. Then I realized that all I needed was a program that generated FORMS (online information gathering pages) and by having a form that collected the programs that I needed, I could easily collect the data that I needed, and then build something to display that data.

After spending $25.00 for a program that created fantastic forms that saved the collected data in the MySQL database, I am now set to re-write my application.

The reason I have gone about doing this is for the following:

1> Programmers moan and groan when I made changes in the past. I find it much easier to get a programs VERSION 1.0 going and then make all the changes that I dare to make. Then only will I hand it off to the programming department.

2> It's a lot easier to do it myself than write 10 pages of text or get on the phone for 2 hours trying to explain something. I can take my own time and do a good job.

I think you'll find out that there's a tool out there to get anything that you want done. Only the sophisticated programming needs to be left to the professionals. The rest many of you will be able to do.

Speaking of doing, I've got to get to my "doing". Sam out! Carpe Diem.

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