I took the MySQL Core Certification exam yesterday, and passed. It was a tough exam, a bit too picky about edge cases, I think, but I passed. The NDA pretty much forbids me saying more about the exam. Fair enough. The exam is only valid if the Q&A aren’t published, otherwise, the value of the exam and certification plummets, as happened with “paper CNEs” and “paper MCSEs”.
I have earned the MySQL Core Certification
Computerworld News notes Oracle releases security patch fixes; MySQL flaw surfaces. “Oracle has released two sets of database patches to correct flaws in previously released security patches, including on that was itself a fix to an earlier set of patches.”
Oracle is patching their patches, too.
MySQL is up to 4.1.13 to avoid a buffer overrun in the zlib library. Consider updating, especially if you’re exposing your db directly to the internet.
Jon’s Radio blogs LAMP and WAMP:
“Although LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, Perl/Python/PHP) is often synonymous with open source, Windows can be a solid leg supporting the platform. The rising popularity of PHP on Windows servers is one indication of this trend. To zealots in both camps this may look like an unholy alliance, but I live in both camps and it makes perfect sense to me…. In some ways Windows and open source are fellow travelers, and have been for a long time.” [Full story at InfoWorld.com]
I had problems on my systems in January with the MySQL MyODBC driver version 3.51.10, and I ended up rolling back to version 3.51.09, as I posted to the Fox Wiki here, the Leafe.com ProFox forums here and the MySQL Forums here. Remarkably, I didn’t blog it also, but I was busy.
The good news is that the new driver, version 3.51.11-1, seems to fix the problem. Rolling back to the old driver also required additional work to use a weaker password technique, so this is a welcome fix!
On Slashdot, Python Moving into the Enterprise. Qa1 writes “Seems that Python is moving into the enterprise. At the recent PyCon it has become apparent that it’s not just Google, GIS, Nokia or even Microsoft anymore. The article points out that Python is increasingly becoming a perfectly viable and even preferred choice for the enterprise. More and more companies are looking at Python as a good alternative to past favorites like Java. Will we finally be able to code for living in a language that’s not painful? Exciting times!”
I knew several attendees at PyCon, although I was tied up that week (teaching MySQL) and couldn’t make it. Ed Leafe, former FoxPro MVP and host of several great email and web forums at http://leafe.com, presented the promising business development framework dabo. The Greater New Hampshire Linux User Group is building up a Python SIG (developers on all platforms welcomed) and will be holding debriefing sessions about the conference as part of meetings state-wide.
Missed posting this earlier in the week. Looking forward to giving this one a spin around the block:
MySQL takes database upgrade for test-drive. “MySQL AB has released MySQL 5.0.3, the first beta version of a major upgrade to its open source database for platforms including Linux, Solaris, AIX, Windows and Mac OS X. ”
InfoWorld: http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/03/30/HNmysqlupgrade_1.html
Ed Leafe posts “Just in time for PyCon DC 2005, we’d like to announce the release of Dabo 0.3.2. A summary of what’s changed since the last release can be found at http://dabodev.com/announcements/changeLog-0.3.2. Source code is available for download at http://dabodev.com/download.”
dabo is an application framework for developing rich-client data-centric applications, released under the OSI-apprived MIT license. It runs (and is in use at customer sites) in Linux, Windows and OS X, and probably in other platforms supporting Python. While the primary focus has been compatibility with MySQL, support for PostgreSQL and Firebird are included in this version. Check out the links above for a wiki full of development information and to download source code and demos to play with.
— Ted Roche, dabo commercial licensee #1
OSNews points to an Interview with Josh Berkus of PostgreSQL. “The PostgreSQL database project has recently released Version 8.0, which was received with quite some fanfare, mostly due to its first-ever Windows port. Mad Penguin talked with Josh Berkus, one of the core team members, to find out how 8.0 has fared since its official release on January 17, 2005.” Interesting and brief reading for those curious about the project. While MySQL has gotten the lion’s share of the attention in the Free/Open Source Software market so far, PostgreSQL is a worthy and feature-packed competitor.
It seems that Apress is offering some of their older titles for free download. I snagged a copy of their “Programmers Introduction to PHP 4, ” a 4 megabyte, 478 page PDF. It looks like the full version of the book. The download site also offers the source code. The book includes a plug for the newer edition of PHP5 and MySQL, released in June of 2004. This is a smart move on Apress’ part. Hope it pans out for them financially.
I’m pleased to announce that I will again be one of the teachers at the LAMP course at the New Hampshire Technical Institute‘s Center for Training and Business Development. We start teaching on Tuesday night, and will be teaching ten evenings Tuesday and Thursday, 6 PM to 9:30 at the Concord campus. There’s till time to sign up and catch the first class — details are available at the CTBD site. We taught this class in the fall semester and it was a great success. At the end of the course, the students have a simple interactive database-backed web site running on Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP.