Get Up to Speed with MySQL for My System i

If you’ve been exploring PHP as a way to write web applications that access existing System i data, you may have dismissed the 2007 announcement of MySQL support as irrelevant to your situation. However, because MySQL is the de facto database for PHP applications, the ability to use MySQL on the System i gives you access to a wide spectrum of open source applications, which you can either use directly or modify to access DB2 data. IBM has also issued a statement of direction indicating that, in the future, DB2 for i5/OS will be a certified MySQL storage engine, making your System i data directly accessible from MySQL applications.

• The IBM Redpiece “Discovering MySQL on i5/OS” includes an overview of MySQL architecture and the relationship between MySQL and PHP, as well as installation details and other system management topics for MySQL on i5/OS.

Related Links

• IBM’s System i MySQL web (Click Here) page provides links to many MySQL resources.

Debating Data Access

The question of who controls access to data is critical to companies and individuals. Government agencies also have differing approaches to electronic information — some agencies attempt to prevent electronic searches, while others take pride in developing online tools that make information more accessible. Though some situations are straightforward, you may find yourself on different sides of this issue depending on the circumstances. For example, if your company purchased real estate, you’d probably prefer to keep the price you paid private. On the other hand, before the purchase, you’d probably like to be able to find out what similar properties nearby sold for. In this case, the actual sale is a matter of public record, but if information is not readily retrievable with an electronic search, few people will know about it.

• Ars Technica reports on the controversy that erupted when a commercial enterprise tried to put West Virginia tax assessment records online. (Click Here)

Related Links

• eWeek analyzes the issues involved when data includes information about other people, in this case an e-mail address book. (Click Here)
• News.com discusses an ongoing case that centers on whether government officials can force a person to reveal a password. (Click Here)
• InformationWeek looks at a corporate healthcare initiative that includes online medical records and contacts an employee’s physician when the software detects a potential problem such as a drug interaction. (Click Here)

Working with Ajax

Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is a design strategy for web-enabled applications that takes advantage of readily available technologies (JavaScript, XML, and of course, HTML). Therefore, even if your application development portfolio includes Ajax, you don’t necessarily need Ajax-specific tools. However, it’s a measure of how well Ajax has penetrated the web application development market that more and more Ajax-specific tools and libraries are emerging. Many of these tools are free or open source, so you can easily experiment to find the ones that meet your needs.

• The Register reports on the results of a survey that covers available Ajax development tools and how they are used. (Click Here)

Related Links

• IBM’s DeveloperWorks provides an introductory tutorial covering the JSEclipse plug-in, which you could use to develop JavaScript in any Eclipse-based tool, including WDSc (free registration required). (Click Here)

Turing Award

Since 1966, The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) has designated winners of the annual A.M. Turing Award. The Turing Award, which many consider the most prestigious prize in computing, is named after Alan Turing, who is often cited as the father of computer science. Early in 2008, ACM announced the 2007 Turing Award recipients: Edmund M. Clarke, E. Allen Emerson, and Joseph Sifakis. The three won the award for their work on model checking, a procedure for verifying a software or hardware design. Previous Turing Award winners include Alan Kay and E.F. Codd.

• Dr. Dobb’s Journal summarizes the announcement of the 2007 Turing Award. (Click Here)

Related Links

• ACM maintains a page listing all the Turing Award winners and also links to an individual page for each honoree, some of which include a glimpse of the person behind the prestige. (Click Here)

Sharon L. Hoffman is a System iNEWS senior technical editor. She began working with IBM midrange systems in 1981, and her background includes extensive application development as well as creation and delivery of technical education.