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I have written several macros in excel, some very basic statements in SQL for correcting data in an Informix database environment, I have some basic Access knowledge, and very little Visual Basic. I understand very well database structure, and know Crystal Reports/Business Objects very well.
Writing the macros in VBA should give you some basic concepts in programming. A bit of SQL and Access means you are somewhat familiar hopefully with the ideas behind a database and how it’s designed. But it doesn’t indicate that you have the experience to actually designing a system yourself. You can work within a design maybe, but based on your question and the above information, you are rather unfamiliar with making large scale design choices. That’s fine, everyone has to learn from somewhere.
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I would really like to serve the application up an an intraweb type of scenario ultimately.
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If I eventually want to serve up the application developed over the Web, what do I need to study? Is there an easy tool I can use to develop a site and then point selections to the programming Should I experiment by purchasing a site, using a host, and playing around with it?
So the thing is, you can’t write a bunch of programs, suddenly decide one day that they can be used over the internet, create a website, do some magic linking, and presto, your applications can be used over the internet. Doesn’t work like that.
If your application is intended to be used over the internet, or by your level of precision, through a web browser, you need to deal with that issue up front. It does affect how you might choose a programming language, and to an extent, what kind of database choices you might make.
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I have alot of passion and ambition, but don't want to waste time starting off down the wrong road with a database that ends up being too small over the long run or other similar programming type issues.
Because you are a beginner, you can assume that this application you are writing isn’t going to be a final version shipping out to customers, being used in large scale situations. Instead, it’s a learning situation. And like everyone, you want the investments you make now to retain value in the future. What you do need to understand is that you don’t necessarily have a one time investment. For example, like many other knowledgeable programmers, I know multiple programming languages. It’s more or less a must that you become familiar with multiple languages if you really want to advance as a computer scientist. I have worked with multiple databases as well.
I realize you want choices made for you, but it’s not like I can name on choice and then rationally say “it’s the right choice”. Another programmer can give you a different but equally valid option with his own rationale. The most you can do is start of with a feasible choice, and then learn and become proficient enough not to have ask us this question. I’ll give you feasible starting choices for a beginner when it comes to a web application.
Redson suggested Python and MySQL as one option. That’s a good solid choice for a beginner. Both are relatively easy to come to grips with. They are also available on both Windows and Linux platforms. PHP and MySQL is also another option. I dislike that option for beginners; because of the abundance of relatively low quality learning materials, among other reasons. In fact, let me just list what I favor as good choices for a programming language. Python, Ruby, C#, and Java. Python and Ruby are significantly faster to get started with, but in the long run all four are equally viable. C# is constrained (somewhat) only to Windows though, so if you work on a Mac or Linux, it’s a bit trickier, although possible, to go the C# route. Research them a bit further. If you know nothing about Java and .NET, google them and read about them on Wikipedia.
With databases, there are choices out there, but MySQL isn’t a bad choice. I’m not particularly interested in explaining the others simply because if you have to ask “which database”, you probably should start with MySQL anyway. It’s a very popular database and you’re more likely to get help with it over any other database.
Don’t bother spending money on hosts or what not. You aren’t at any such level of knowledge. Access won’t do. Visual Basic.NET is a viable option, but like C#, you would then be going with the Microsoft stack. Which is fine, but you need to consider that.
