Newbie matter: MySQL connection

[Gerhard Häring]

P030286 wrote:
> whats an sql?

gerhard at lilith:~$ dict SQL
2 definitions found

>From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (12 Sep 2002) [foldoc]:

  SQL
  
     <language, database, standard> /S Q L/ An industry-standard
     language for creating, updating and, querying {relational
     database management systems}.
  
     SQL was developed by {IBM} in the 1970s for use in {System R}.
     It is the {de facto standard} as well as being an {ISO} and
     {ANSI} {standard}.  It is often embedded in general purpose
     programming languages.
  
     The first SQL standard, in 1986, provided basic language
     constructs for defining and manipulating {tables} of data; a
     revision in 1989 added language extensions for {referential
     integrity} and generalised {integrity} {constraints}.  Another
     revision in 1992 provided facilities for {schema} manipulation
     and {data administration}, as well as substantial enhancements
     for data definition and data manipulation.
  
     Development is currently underway to enhance SQL into a
     computationally complete language for the definition and
     management of {persistent}, complex objects.  This includes:
     generalisation and specialisation hierarchies, {multiple
     inheritance}, user defined {data types}, {triggers} and
     {assertions}, support for {knowledge based systems},
     {recursive query expressions}, and additional data
     administration tools.  It also includes the specification of
     {abstract data types} (ADTs), object identifiers, {methods},
     {inheritance}, {polymorphism}, {encapsulation}, and all of the
     other facilities normally associated with object data
     management.
  
     The emerging {SQL3} standard is expected to be complete in
     1998.
  
     According to Allen G. Taylor, SQL does _not_ stand for
     "Structured Query Language".  That, like "SEQUEL" (and its
     pronunciation /see'kw*l/), was just another unofficial name
     for a precursor of SQL.  However, the IBM SQL Reference manual
     for DB2 and Craig Mullins's "DB2 Developer's Guide" say SQL
     _does_ stand for "Structured Query Language".
  
     {SQL Standards (http://www.jcc.com/sql_stnd.html)}.
  
     {An SQL parser
     (ftp://ftp.uu.net/published/oreilly/nutshell/lexyacc/)} is
     described in "Lex & Yacc", by Levine, Mason & Brown published
     by O'Reilly.
  
     {The 1995 SQL Reunion: People, Projects, and Politics
     (http://www.mcjones.org/System_R/SQL_Reunion_95/)}.
  
     ["A Guide to the SQL Standard", C.J. Date, A-W 1987].
  
     ["SQL for Dummies", Allen G. Taylor, IDG Books Worldwide].
  
     (2000-07-07)
  
  

>From V.E.R.A. -- Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms June 2002 [vera]:

  SQL
          Structured Query Language (ISO 9075, DB, 4GL)
         
  
Next question?

Gerhard
-- 
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