I am new to databases and trying to setup a mySQL server based database for biological data (each record will consist of images, vectors and numeric and string parameters etc.).

A colleague is suggesting using a text based data file to represent my data (essentially a simple text based spreadsheet description of my database) and Javascript to create the front end access to the data. He claims is much simpler and easier to maintain. That, compared to using a formal data-basing framework doesn't sound like a good idea - feels like a very adhoc mickey mouse solution - and using Javascript? But I don't know enough about databases to fully argue against or in favor of one - can you please share your "pros" and "cons" or experiences comparing these two scenarios? Is using a text file in combination of Javascript front coding be a sound substitute to using a formal SQL framework? Isn't that so much more work and less robust etc.?

Thanks in advance,
Brian

no one would ever want to do something like that.

Firstly it will be slow since JavaScript (a language not designed to handle databases) will have to do all the computations and stuff on the textfile.

If using MySQL then after installing something like PHPMyAdmin you're good to go whereas I would guess that javascript thing would take a bit to set up. It more sounds like using Ms Access, which in the real world....no one trusts microsoft. I wouldn't trust them with my data.

With the JavaScript thing, there would be no solid way (if there is then it is sure to kill you) of setting up relationships between tables. Thus no possibility of expanding.

If you were just wanting to record data, then you might as well just use Excel, make a table and put in the information. But in my opinion if you want the data to be readily accessible then the best way is to go for something like MySQL