Free Database Software

[BlueEconomics]

I am wanting to begin teaching myself the ins and outs of database software; however, I am cheap and don't want to invest money into software yet.

I have been looking at openoffice base, but I have heard that openoffice it is a "memory hog". Would base by itself be a good choice? Or is there a better program?

 

[carnageX]

There's SQL Server 2012 Express (download the 'With Tools' one): SQL Express 2012

There's MySQL, and you can use PHPMyAdmin with it as well.

I've used SQL Server 2012 + C# for my database class before; it's pretty nice.

 

[BlueEconomics]

Great info. Are both of these completely free or just trials?

 

[KSoD]

SQL Server is only trial. You will have to purchase it.

Looks like MySQL and PHPMyAdmin are Open Source and free for personal use.

 

[Peter.Cort]

MySQL + PHPAdmin are free. Not sure about the others as I haven't used them.

You can also use WAMP/LAMP which is a Windows / Linux Apache, MySQL, PHP stack that runs on your computer and you can use mysql to mess around with databases. That's directly using the mysql language to use so that might not be what you're looking for, but if you want to get onto the deepest level and get right into code and stuff with no frills then that's what I would go with.

 

[carnageX]

SQL Server is only trial. You will have to purchase it.

Looks like MySQL and PHPMyAdmin are Open Source and free for personal use.

SQL Server Express is free. As long as your database doesn't exceed a certain size you don't have to purchase it, I believe is the restriction.

I used it last semester for my DB class, and I still have it installed and can still access my DB that I created locally on my machine.

It's also able to be used for commercial use, as long as the size limit of the DB(s) isn't exceeded for Express:
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/fo.../thread/39b04633-0a09-4d8f-b679-33effe154cdc/

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/uk/sqlexpress/thread/404fccd5-11c7-4700-814d-8c833ef409bb

 

[office politics]

keep a close eye on oracle and mysql. rumors are that they are setting it up to fail in future iterations.

Oracle Makes More Moves To Kill Open Source MySQL | TechCrunch


quoted



It's pretty clear that Oracle is trying to make it as difficult as possible to use MySQL. The result is a wave of unsettlement in the developer community about what Oracle considers open and what it sees as closed. The move is causing problems for developers in all manner of ways as expressed here and here.

MySQL is the popular database used by developers throughout the world. Oracle gained control of the software distribution when it acquired Sun Microsystems in 2010.