Since you want the setup with the least headache and because you are thinking of writing a book about how to use MySQL, I recommend the Without Installer version.
It's basically 4 steps: 1) unzip 2) edit config file 3) install as service 4) start the service It can actually take you more time to diagnose a botched MSI install than it will take to do it by hand, correctly, the first time, while reading the step by step instructions. May I kindly refer you to the INSTALLATION section of the manual: http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/windows-installation.html I got my first MySQL database (ever) running in about 15 minutes by following these steps (as a complete MySQL newbie). Way less time than it ever took me to do a CD install of MS SQL server. Shawn Green Database Administrator Unimin Corporation - Spruce Pine Bruce Rollier <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote on 10/25/2005 05:27:02 PM: > I was a database professor in a school of business until my retirement > last year. I taught Oracle SQL for several years and taught one class > in Uganda with MySQL so I am reasonably familiar with it from a user > standpoint. However, I am not a developer nor a programmer. A > professor in Uganda has asked me to work with him in developing MySQL > teaching materials for African students, and we are considering an open > source database textbook. I need to download MySQL 5.0 but I am not > sure exactly which version to download. I use Windows, so the versions > available to me are: Windows Essentials, Windows, and Without > Installer. This will be installed on my personal machine and I will be > the only user, so I don't need a network. Can someone advise me which > of these is best? I mainly want to be able to create some tables and > run some queries and views for testing the materials. > > Thanks much, > > Bruce Rollier > > > -- > MySQL General Mailing List > For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql > To unsubscribe: http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] >