As someone brand-new to MySQL, I am having a basic conceptual problem. I am having a hard time visualizing exactly what MySQL is, even after reading definitions. My experience with databases has been with Filemaker Pro design, and I have done some pretty (I thought) sophisticated things with it. I'm trying to acquire some more marketable skills all on my own as I did with FMP and all other software -- by getting a book, installing the software, and away we go!
First problem: I installed MySQL on my OS X machine. My expectation was that I would find an application named MySQL somewhere, just like any other, and I would be presented with some kind of writing interface. Instead I hear about command lines and things I have never encountered. I thought SQL was a language and MySQL was a program which implemented it, kinda like Dreamweaver and HTML. I think I'm wrong right there. But if so, what have I installed?
It also seems to assume the existence of a database and server setup for me to query. I thought I would be creating these myself, defining my own new tables, etc.? Apparently not; I guess you use MySQL to simply communicate with some already existing database structure. Is that right?
Can you just steer me in the right direction and explain to me--what can I do with this, in what environment do I write with it, and what specific software executes its instructions? To "whom" (software-wise) am I speaking with MySQL?
So embarassed at my own stupidity!