Free Database Software

MySQL 5.0 

Database software, such as Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server, can be tremendously expensive, often costing more than the rest of the entire computing system (hardware, operating system, and application software). It looks like this equation may be changing.

The Register reports in, MySQL destined for ‘majority’ market share

MySQL is fast approaching majority market share among software developers, with 44 per cent using the open source database to meet their needs. Use of MySQL has surged 25 per cent during the last six months according to EDC.

MySQL runs on both Linux and Windows and the version 5.0, due out next month, includes features that the commercial databases have had for years. The lack of features such as views, stored procedures, and triggers, has been the primary factor in relegating MySQL to second-tier applications.

OpenOffice.org 2.0 

Also on the database software front, OpenOffice.org 2.0 includes a full replacement for Microsoft Access and, like previous versions of OOo, is completely free. One of the particularly nice uses of OOo is as a report writer for larger databases such as Oracle, SQL Server, or MySQL. You can create an OOo database which is "connected to" a remote server and then use all of the form and report writing tools. Stunned by the cost of Crystal Reports? Now you have an alternative.