Defective Kit

I never considered myself to be a MySQL buff. In fact I don’t think I really am a SQL buff of any sort. when trying to first learn SQL about 4 years ago, I don’t think I lasted a week before I gave up considering MySQL to be extremely boring. Trust me … it is. However the power behind it is amazing. It’s like this…

Drinking water is boring. Water tastes boring. Water is boring. But when you get a lot of it, it’s really powerful and can’t be ignored. SQL is like that. It’s rather boring on the surface, but if you can harness the power of it and use it, then it can be an amazing tool, useful and something that can just be the best thing since sliced bread.

A coworker and I were working on a SQL project we started a couple weeks ago. It was amazing the progress a co-worker and I completed with some SQL queries that he came up with that resulted from a ‘how do you do this’ question. He was working on importing data into SQL from a text file. During that process, we learned what and what not to do for an import of data.

For Example, Did you know that if you perform a ‘Load Data’ query, SQL will import data. No matter what it is. As a dummy subject, I imported ‘notepad.exe’ into my SQL database. Yes, it does import, and no it’s not pretty. All this gook went into the database and god knows why SQL doesn’t check to see if it’s correct. I’m under the assumption that it just assumes you know what you are doing. Well apparently it assumes I like importing ‘.exe’ files into databases randomly.

The support file for data imports on the MySQL page is really not too helpful. It mentions seperating data by ‘tabs’ which in turn doesn’t work. We of course put tabs between the data sets. However, Instead of seperating the data into their appropriate fields, MySQL put all the imported data into one field set. I can’t tell whether the documentation people are not keeping up with the programmers or the programms just can’t tell which ass their heads are in, but I don’t think the instructions they gave us worked.

Through bad imported data and learning processes, my time working on MySQL at the hospital has been very educational. I have a good grasp on how MySQL works and how data flows through databases on it. I may not remember the queries by heart offhand, but working on this project definately gave me a good foothold on it. If it hadn’t been for me trying to relearn it at the hospital, I don’t think I would fully acknowledge it’s capabilities.

Here’s what I am trying to do…
I am trying to find the resources necessary to start a Wiki and do this through an MS Windows platform. the problem is, that information on setting up a Wiki through a Windows platform isn’t readily available, let alone helpful in any direction. The resources to start a Wiki appear to be diluted. There are many projects and different types of wiki software out there, but there really isn’t a guide to help you get started on a Wiki project. the information just isn’t available. Especially if you want to learn more about it at home.

I think the main difficulties are finding the resources to make it easy in a Windows platform to any end type user. I’ve learned of many websites that offer wiki hosting. Obviously they are paid services, however I don’t think this route is the most effective. Sure it can solve any situation given that you can throw money at it, however what if you want to try this at home? I, myself am a do-it-yourself type of guy and a guide really isn’t available. However the direction I am approaching this isn’t the standard norm, but very overlooked either way. Who wants to host a Wiki from Windows? Well, I do. The resources I have seen are very Linux based resources and quite frankly, I am not going to setup another Linux box just to test out a Wiki.

I have 2 computers that are readily used at home. My main computer has Windows Vista, and my laptop has Ubuntu Linux 6.10. On the Ubuntu, i’ve already dedicated the box to learning more about Linux and Ruby on Rails programming. I even installed MythTV on it (which I shouldn’t have). I want my Linux box to be a learning experience for programming and Linux. Not for Hosting Wikis. Hence, there is my Windows box which I do a blunt majority of the work needed for anything outside of playing. It hosted a BBS, it downloads all my big Linux distros, it’s a media center for recording TV shows, it’s a server for Music and Movies. It’s the everything box. I want to host a Wiki from it for testing since it has more firepower for this sort of job.

The more recent resources (and most promising lead so far) in starting a Wiki is at this site…
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wiki_Science:How_to_start_a_Wiki

I will have to research it further, but the first hours of searching on information have been crap so far. As soon as more information is readily availabe, I will post it and hopefully my stumbling blocks so far can be made into building blocks to help others along…