database connectivity

[David Metzler]

I love what I have seen so far of Python. I am in serious need of guidance
however. I spend a couple of nights till the wee hours and have run into a
block. What I want to do is create some python database programs that will
work on Windows 98/NT and on Linux. The idea is I can slip the programs in
at work on Windows and no one will notice. Then I can swap out Windows for
Linux in some places and no one will notice.
This is what I found:
At ftp://starship.python.net/pub/crew/jbauer I got MySQL.pyd and
libmySQL.dll and copied them to my Python directory and was able to make a
connection on Win98. Thanks Jeff. It took a message from Jeff to find the
files because the precompiled version was not mentioned on the web site that
I could find. The first thing I tried however failed. I tried c=db.cursor()
and it did not work. I figure that cursor is not supported. I'm do not know
enough to know if this will be a problem in the future. Also I do not know
where to find what the features that are supported are.

I then tried Andy Dustman's stuff. I downloaded his package but found that
there was no precompiled version for Windows and I am not a "C" programmer
and do not have VC 5.0.

I took a look at ODBC but it seems to be for Windows only and I a looking
for Windows/Linux.
MxODBC looks like an interesting product but the author does not support
windows directly and the license would require me to talk to the lawyers. I
cannot do that because this project not being officially approved would mean
that they would ignore me.

I also am interested on comparing MySql with Postgres. It looks like
Postgres will only work on NT. Now I'm thinking that I would be better off
using Linux as the server from the start and make the client program cross
platform.
The only problem is that now I have to find out how to make the connection
with both windows and Linux to the Linux server. And of course I cannot take
the project with me on a single Win 98 notebook to work on, when on the
road.

I can spend some money on this and am willing to buy stuff if it will help.
A tutor from Connecticut would be nice, MS VC, a book. I can pay for tools
or training but the license cannot limit deployment as I have limited
control over that. Of course if I get the database question answered I'll
have to work on the graphical cross-platform next.

Is what I want to do possible or is Python just for "C" programmers or text
parsing?
For example is Python the right tool to create an inventory program?