Hi All,

I am from Finance background and don’t have any kind of Data base knowledge at all. I am interested to learn data base and have gain knowledge of Microsoft access. Now I want to learn SQL. My problem is, I don't know which SQL I should start from. There are MY SQL (Open source- Sun), MS SQL server 2000, 2005. I want to learn SQL from scratch, please advice.

Many thank,
Ran

Hi guys,

If i want to learn SQL which software should i down load.

Thanks,

Ran

These websites are a good starting point

www.w3schools.com/sql
www.sqlzoo.net

mysql

you can get it at mysql.com

start with mysql

easy to install, easy to get going, and many very useful (and free) front end applications like HeidiSQL are available

Thank you for your suggestion Rudy.

Thanks, Rudy

Actually the usual method of interacting with Access databases is SQL.. the default storage mechanism is JET, which uses SQL, but isn't especially compliant to the interantional standard (but what SQL engine is truly compliant). Access can talk to other data storage mechanisms such as server SQL's: MySQL, SQL Server DB2 etc...

However Access does a good job hiding a lot of the SQL for you, or doing it in background. Its not really a problem, all of the queries SQL can be seen, even now in a few shameful moments I still fire up the Access query browser just to make sure I'm on the right track. The SQL you virtually never see in Access is DDL.. creating or modifying tables.. but you can write that style of SQL if you wish or have to

What it comes down to in my view is what to want to achieve.
If its for a specific project then understanding some of the SQL concepts then virtually any db will do. The problem I can see there is that to create a meaningful data model and get some data in could be tricky for a first project.

If you want to 'mess around' and create a few learning applications interfacing with SQL then unless you have something like a web server (in which case PHP/MYSQL or ASP/MS SQL Server would be natural choices) or a development language such as VB, C (And all its children), Delphi etc then there are precious few routes to get something to store data that is straightforward enough to manipulate unless you go down the Access route.
So If I were you I'd approach it two ways sure use a server SQL if you wish.... if this is for CV tilillation I'd download the SQL server developer edition (free) as employers do like the look of that.

If I were you I'd want to look at the dreaded Northwind db that used to (don't know if it still does) come with Access and SQL server.. if you cna get both even better then you can see soem of the differences between the SQL server version and the Access/JET version. The reason being its a fairly well documented db, it has some meaningful data and its already available.

enjoy

If you're looking for something to add to your cv then MySQL isn't used in finance (MS SQL Server or SYbase would be better though Oracle is too complicated to look after). Apart from that MySQL is pretty good - easy to install and easy to use.

todd, have you ever heard of Yahoo finance????

mimer is, apparently

hi
u should be start initially frm my sql and try to undersatnd fundamental of RDBMS first

Sure, that's the exception that proves the rule. I'm not saying that MySQL couldn't work in financial areas, I'm just saying it isn't used (with a couple of exceptions). Personnally I like MySQL.

Who's todd?

Hi,
- a suggestion.

MySql is so standard (ok .. pretty close!) that learning SQL the following way is easy.

I have just taken a bunch of newbies through a process whereby SQL is taught. They are now on their own..

We --
1. Downloaded WAMP - Installed it - (http://www.wampserver.com/en/)
2. Designed some db(s) using the included PHPMyAdmin utility.
3. Then simply played and played while taking note of the SQL statements generated for you each time that you do anything.


4. They are now progressing to "writing their own" statements.

I know of no quicker way to learn SQL on your own.

(By the way MSAccess is also a good way .. if you design queries just Use the SQL view (from the menu) to learn what the JET has done..)