The idea for this project came from a FanPost requesting some help getting databases and other saber-geeky tools up and running on a Mac. While we're at it, let's add the qualification "for free".
I'm no database guru, but I do own a Mac and consider myself smarter than a seventh grader, so I'll volunteer to act as captain of this adventure, and anyone else who's a Mac user and looking to learn how to use databases is free to come along for the ride. I suspect our cycle of learning will look something like:
- Someone asks a question.
- A bunch of people go looking for answers.
- They report back.
- We find something that works.
- We all implement it.
- We celebrate with age-appropriate beverages.
- We aim higher and loop back to #1.
My only official role will be to decide on the next question, and wait to announce it until we give everyone a chance to catch up. Other than that, it's the blind leading the blind.
I will "feature" this article, meaning you can find a link to it in the Featured Stories section of the right sidebar even after it gets bumped from the front page.
First question: How do I get all the software pieces in place to work with SQL-based databases? Colin's writeup at Statistically Speaking is a great start, although I remember striking out on a free, quality graphical interface on the Mac. Ready, go!