what would a home user use a database for?

[Chooco]

would something like SQL help my little home server here in any way? this computer is just 1 huge project to become the host to everything i can think of.

btw what do YOU guys use SQL for?

[vass0922]

A home user, may use a database to keep a collection of DVD'd, CD's, any sort of collection you may have pretty much anything where you have a lot of things and you'd like to organize it to possibly make reports...

Or if eventually you want to make your own forums like this place it all runs on MySQL with PHP driving the html.

Only place I've really used sql personally is at work, not so much my current job but a previous job we worked with sql server 7. Really one of the few products I like from MS

Its not as stable as Oracle nor as functional but I liked developing for it

Something I'd love to get into in the future is DBA, Database Administration, I did some at that job and enjoyed it.. pulled some hair out but that's ok I'll make more

You may ask well why can't I just put all my cd's in a spreadsheet? Ahhh but you're losing out on the worlds of functionality that a database offers

[qball]

When the braniacs at IBM where first thinking of developing a PC (something they eventually did) the best idea for home use that they could come up with was saving recipes. Look at the PC now...

Recipes, actually would be a good DB learning exercise as most anyone can understand them and the data structure behind them, but...

Quote:

would something like SQL help my little home server

SQL is the language of DBs, not DBs themselves, but...

vass0922 makes some very good points, hopefully I can add some meself.

DB store data and they do it VERY well. So iffin you're dealing wif lots o' data or dealing wif lotso data would help you, then a DB is the answer.

I maintain DBs at home, well, because as a developer I use DBs. Though, to be honest, all my personal DBs are for development purposes, go figure. In other words I could use DB for my music collection and write a real neat PHP/ASP/JSP/HTML interface, but I'm lazy and just keep 'em in different directories (same with porn, DOH!).

Iffin you have Access, check out some of their sample DBs and see what they do.

I will give kudos to:

http://www.mysql.com http://www.sybase.com/products/databaseservers/ase

[DVNT1]

You could print bar codes, get a bar code wand, and bar code everything in your house while cataloging it in you database.

You could create an address book that contained things like...who to send Xmas cards too, their birthdays, etc. Then create a report to print the Xmas card labels; create query that runs at start-up and has a welcome screen with query results that checked for up-coming birthdays or other important dates. (7 days away so you have time to buy something).

You could use it to track times you fall to your addictions. Then you could create a pareto chart to show what your worst weaknesses really are.

[Rhino]

Keep track of your hardware. Temp logs, times, etc. Have a history of how your hardware peformed under different environmental factors, drivers, etc.

About the only thing I use SQL for is in Access in queries. Sometimes its easier to write your own code than to manipulate their GUI.

[vass0922]

Oh and one minor note...
If you're just planning on putting allllll the data into one table (for instance making a column with data like "ArtistName - Song Name - Album Name" you may as well put it in a spreadsheet because you are losing out on some of the benefits of databases.

For instance for a cd database you could get fairly elaborate

Songs Table
*SongId -- primary key -- uniqueid
*SongName -- self explanatory
*Artistid -- Foregn Key id that corresponds to the artist and links to the artist table
*AlbumId -- Foreign Key, id that corresponds to the artist and links to the album table
*billboard top placement -- top spot the song got in billboard
*SongGreatnessScale -- how great (or horrific) the song is in your personal taste

Artist Table
*ArtistId -- Primary key -- uniqueid (unique numbers)
*Artist Name -- full name of artist
*NumOfGrammysWon
*NumOfGrammysNominated
*HottieScale -- (not applicable to males ) 1-10

AlbumTable
*AlbumId -- PrimaryKey, uniqueId for Albums table
*ArtistId -- ForeignKey -- links to artist table, to show artist of the album
*YearReleased -- self explanatory
*TopBillboardPlacement -- self explanatory
*AlbumsSold
*AlbumGreatnessScale -- personal scale 1-10 how much you like the album

You get the point...
Once you get all the data filled out (the fun part ) you'll be amazed once you get the hang of it the data you can pull out.

How many albums by one artist you have, how many good albums you have... if you're looking to make a few bucks, just do a query for how many albums you have where the scale is less than 4... the ones that show up... pawn 'em lol

You get the point.

[Chooco]

why do i get the feeling that databased will come back to haunt me when i get a real job.........

[vass0922]

no matter where you go
no matter what you do
you can not run away

although if you wish, you can be a user and just use the GUI
Databases are not scary at all IMO of course hehe
Quite honeslty I think they're awesome, its amazing how much you can do with so little code.
you can update millions of records, or wipe out millions of records in the blink of an eye
Sometimes its a little too easy been there done that lol

[Chooco]

i did a little something like that to a dude who stole my skateboard. back then we called it 'format c: /q'

[vass0922]

bah, childs play lol