Help with a database solution

SouperComputer

Need your help here folks.

Id like to setup a central database for all our customer queries, quotes etc etc. Exel worksheets just dont cut the mustard when 4 people need access at once!

Based on the assumption that I cant do what I need with windows, id like to run a virtual PC client with linux on our windoze server.

so....

How? What distro? What software?

Im not really a programmer but I like to have a go at a basic version of this myself, and then when we know exactly what we want from a database we can get a more professional solution.

oscarBravo

Hm. Are you really married to the virtual PC idea? You could get a ratty old PC for like €20 (speaking from experience!) that would do the job for you.

I'd set up a wee box with Debian, Apache, PHP and MySQL, and knock together an intranet-based solution. That way you've no client-side software needed - all your PCs presumably have browsers already installed - and PHP is extremely easy to develop in.

SouperComputer

sounds good, but I have no idea whatsoever about programming or suchlike. the sound of PHP makes me get scared already!

I couldnt be arsed wasting electricity on another machine when the current one is using less than 20% of its resources.

could you reccomend any resources that might explain all the basics of how to set it up?

oscarBravo

The server's running Windows? How about installing MySQL for Windows, and just pointing Access on the clients to it using ODBC?

Typedef

Unless the Windows box is doing something Windows specific, like being an exchange server.

For your own sanity and freedom of use, I'd advise a total Linux supplant for the Windows box.

Use - Samba for file sharing.
Use - MySQL or PostgreSQL for databases.
Use - Postfix and IMAP for Email services.

Then squeeze some extra performance and freedom to install/config what you like (mostly for free) on your Linux Server.

In terms of databases, I'd agree with pointing access at an SQL Server and using odbc for that, but, I'd also recommend using Red Hat Linux 9.0 (which supplies odbc for PostgreSQL), since it will give you a chance to break away from Windows.

Believe me, I used to be hostile to Linux and didn't see a problem with Microsoft and now, I'll admit to being a Linux zealot. It's a 180 turn, I'd never have believed I would make when I first started using PCs.

So my advice would be to take on the burdon of converting your Lan server to Linux.
The Ilug mailing list on www.linux.ie and indeed this board are great resources to ease the overhead of conversion (not to mention out the box automagic from the likes of Mandrake, Red Hat and SuSE), and if I were you and was anyway comfortable with using computers, I wouldn't shy away from going the Linux route

</plug ends>

logic1

Indeed, Typedef doth talketh not the ****... eth... and verily what he states be thine true

Go for linux my good man.

.logic.

SouperComputer

yea, id really like to go linux, thing ill stick some ext3 partitions on the server an grab a copy of RHL 9.0

ive played with it a few times alright, but never as a server OS also i havnt a frickin clue about databases.

is there a freeware database that might suit my needs?

logic1

Originally posted by SouperComputer
yea, id really like to go linux, thing ill stick some ext3 partitions on the server an grab a copy of RHL 9.0

ive played with it a few times alright, but never as a server OS also i havnt a frickin clue about databases.

is there a freeware database that might suit my needs?

MySQL and it comes with RHL 9! You're set

.logic.

SouperComputer

various ISO's are heading to my computer as I type