The database has become an integral part of almost every human's life. Without it, many things we do wouldbecome very tedious, perhaps impossible tasks. Banks, universities, and libraries are three examples oforganizations that depend heavily on some sort of database system. On the Internet, search engines, onlineshopping, and even the website naming convention (http://www...) would be impossible without the use of adatabase. A database that is implemented and interfaced on a computer is often termed a database server.

One of the fastest SQL (Structured Query Language) database servers currently on the market is the MySQLserver, developed by T.c.X. DataKonsultAB. MySQL, available for download at http://www.mysql.com,offers the database programmer with an array of options and capabilities rarely seen in other database servers.What's more, MySQL is free of charge for those wishing to use it for private and commercial use. Thosewishing to develop applications specifically using MySQL should consult MySQL's licensing section, as thereis a charge for licensing the product.