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That reminds me of a better idea. Let's keep a real understanding of computers from "less-techy colleagues" at the library. That way no messy learning or understanding will take place, and we'll always be needed. Then we could start wearing white colors... T On Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 11:43 AM, Alex Dolski <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > That reminds me of an idea for a photo sharing website I had, tentatively > called LeftOutrJoinr. It would be like Flickr, but instead of pictures > everywhere, visitors would be given a command line into which they would be > able to enter their own SQL queries to call up photos to appear on the page > via AJAX. I see it becoming quite popular among 3-5 people. > > Alex > > > Tim Spalding wrote: >> >> I'd consider teaching them how to use SQL directly. >> >> I've done it at LibraryThing. I take employees from the simplest >> SELECTs all the way to a people-who-have-X-also-have-Y self-join in >> one long hands-on lesson. It doubles as a sort of test, and I've even >> used it in hiring. LibraryThing's two full-time librarians got there >> with flying colors; I've had programmers who stumbled. (Not >> surprisingly they didn't work out.) Once someone understands SQL >> itself, you can throw a helper, like PMA, at them too. >> >> I think there's a real opportunity for empowerment here. Teach a man >> to SELECT and he'll never have to, um, fish again. >> >> Tim >> >> On Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 9:58 AM, Tim McGeary <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >>> >>> I use Webmin. http://www.webmin.com/ >>> It gives me a GUI for all of my vital sysadmin needs that I can't >>> remember >>> how to do at the shell. >>> >>> It has a MySQL GUI interface that works very well. And you can setup >>> user >>> accounts to have access to certain parts of Webmin, like just MySQL. >>> >>> Easy RPM install, and inside Webmin is an app to upgrade itself. Can >>> also >>> install Perl modules, edit your php.ini file, etc. >>> >>> Cheers, >>> Tim >>> >>> Tim McGeary >>> Senior Systems Specialist >>> Lehigh University >>> 610-758-4998 >>> [log in to unmask] >>> Google Talk: timmcgeary >>> Yahoo IM: timmcgeary >>> >>> Ken Irwin wrote: >>>> >>>> Hi folks, >>>> >>>> I have some straightforward MySQL data tables that I would like to be >>>> editable by some of my less-techy colleagues. I tend to think of >>>> phpMyAdmin >>>> as a perfectly serviceable and reasonably interface for updating >>>> database >>>> tables, but I'm told that it's kind of intimidating to the uninitiated. >>>> >>>> Are there alternatives that are meant for non-admin-types? I'd want >>>> something with read/write permissions, but that could be targeted at >>>> just a >>>> few tables, wouldn't have any of the more potent tools (drop, empty, >>>> etc.). >>>> In the ideal world, I might like something that would prevent users from >>>> doing things like accidentally changing primary key data and things like >>>> that. >>>> >>>> I've thought about writing something, but I suspect that would be >>>> reinventing the wheel. Any ideas? >>>> >>>> Thanks, >>>> Ken >>>> >> >> >> > > > -- > Alex A. Dolski > Web & Digitization Application Developer > Lied Library, University of Nevada, Las Vegas > 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Box 457041 > Las Vegas, NV 89154-7041 > (702) 895-2225 (phone) / (702) 895-2280 (fax) > -- Check out my library at http://www.librarything.com/profile/timspalding