NuSphere MySQL

by NuSphere

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00005QXVS
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 27, 2001
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,687 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #19 in Software > Web Development > Web Site Hosting > Application Servers
  • #22 in Software > Programming > Database > SQL
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Though this product's name tends to indicate that it's purely a database tool, NuSphere MySQL is really a suite of four open-source software packages--proven, popular, and well-supported ones--that work together to run interactive, dynamic Internet sites. This package is comprised of the MySQL relational database management system (RDBMS), interpreters for the Perl and PHP languages, and the Apache Web server. It's far from just a straight CD-ROM distribution of publicly available software, though. NuSphere has done a great job of automating the packages' installation processes--this suite installs on both Windows and Linux--so the four utilities interoperate smoothly. You can also install any or all of the suite's components manually, or compile from the included source code.

The big boys of databases--Oracle, Sybase, Microsoft, and others--would like you to believe that only their big, expensive RDBMS products are good enough to handle your data. It's just not true. Most of the time you'll find that MySQL, an open-source RDBMS that's widely used and meticulously maintained, is entirely adequate for storing, retrieving, and reporting on your pieces of data. It supports standard structured query language (SQL, as defined in the SQL-92 specification), and should be familiar to anyone who's done SQL work in any environment before. MySQL has been tested extensively and has been found to stack up well against commercial database products, particularly with small- to mid-size data stores and moderate transaction loads. The point: unless you have unusually tough requirements (such as an astronomical transaction load, a need to store epic quantities of data, or a need for a feature that's available only in commercial RDBMSes), MySQL can do what you want reliably and speedily. It's a well-built RDBMS that does everything most applications require. Its appeal is enhanced by the programming languages and tools that have grown up around it. This kit includes version 3.23.41.

PHP (the letters come from the German for "Hypertext Preprocessor") is similar in function to Microsoft's Active Server Pages (ASP) and Sun's JavaServer Pages (JSP) scripting languages. PHP code is embedded in documents that are to be sent out by a Web server, and is interpreted before the page is served. That means you can use PHP (version 4.0.6 is part of the NuSphere product) to do database lookups (the language has a set of commands specifically for connecting to MySQL databases). PHP can format the results of the lookups as HTML, which the Web server would then send to the requesting browser. You can set up HTML forms to be submitted to PHP scripts, as well, which means you can use HTML, PHP, and MySQL together to create complete user interfaces for your databases.

If you prefer using Perl (Practical Extraction and Report Language) to PHP or require its more extensive text-manipulation capabilities, this kit provides you with Perl 5.6.1. Like PHP, Perl has modules (included here) that make it easy to query MySQL databases and use the results in your applications. Perl, like PHP, can be used to generate Web pages based on query results. Perl has a gigantic following, and as a result you'll find hundreds of books, mailing lists, chat rooms, sample-code libraries, and experts on it. It's a pretty consistent and easy-to-understand language, too, so learning is relatively easy.

Tying it all together: Apache, the popular, refined, and extensible open-source Web server. Apache (version 1.3.20 included here) serves HTML pages, of course, but also makes Perl and PHP scripts available to users on the network. It's reliable and customizable.

There's documentation, too. Three commercially available books (all from O'Reilly & Associates, and with plenty of detail) ship as part of this package:

• PHP Pocket Reference
• Apache Pocket Reference
• Perl 5 Pocket Reference, Third Edition: Programming Tools

Partly because the four software packages in this kit are so great, and partly because NuSphere's installation routine solves so many configuration hassles, NuSphere MySQL represents a great value. Don't hesitate to buy it if you need to bring up a Web server in a hurry. --David Wall

Amazon.com Product Description

Get started with MySQL, an integrated environment that brings together today's popular open-source components into one 10-minute install. NuSphere MySQL is an integrated distribution of MySQL, Apache, Perl, and PHP, and comes with binaries and source code for Red Hat Linux and Windows platforms.

MySQL is a relational database management system that allows users to store, access, and manage information on a scope ranging from a single, small list to a large collection of tables containing millions of rows: business records, scientific data, images, documents, poll results, etc. Relational databases are powerful tools that can draw information from multiple sources--comparing, combining, and summarizing it to produce the results needed at any given time.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic! Super easy., January 2, 2002

By 

Cor Bader (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: NuSphere MySQL (CD-ROM)

I love NuSphere. NuSphere MySQL was a snap to install. I was able to host a web page pretty much right at the start (after I got used to the directory structure and some of the features).

This was perfect for a beginner like me. Perl, apache, php and mysql work right from the start. This setup is perfect for learning Web Development and administration. I've wanted to learn Apache and php for a while, and NuSphere definitely kicks you right into it. The nice thing is you don't even need to be connected to the net to start learning. This package comes with pocket reference guides to Perl, apache, and php. Plus the big book on MySQL.

A good knowledge of Linux/Unix and command lines well is needed.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Webserver in ten minutes, January 16, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: NuSphere MySQL (CD-ROM)

I'd read reviews of NuSphere MySQL on other websites, which said it was great for newbies: easy installation and great tools.

I'm a veteran internet programmer, but finally bought it for two reasons: I needed an easy way to get my customers up and running quickly, on a common webserver platform, and I wanted versions of the tools running under Windows as well as Linux.

This package turned out to be a lifesaver. It comes with lots of features, including out-of-the-box, easy to install and use, Apache, Perl, PHP and MySQL, all configured correctly, and working on multiple platforms. I found the integrated phpmyadmin utility a great way to manage my MySQL databases.

Best feature: remote install, so I can install it on a headless machine at my ISP.

1.0 out of 5 stars Not worthy, September 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: NuSphere MySQL (CD-ROM)

Save your money. Not even as good as freeware.