[Edu-sig] database for a small network

[Jason Cunliffe]

I think you should definitely look into Zope
http://zope.org

Jeff Elkner is using it I believe at Yorktown High School.

Python Bibliotheca
"The school fell in love with Zope as tool for building websites."
http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/pyBiblio/schools.php

> i would like to create a small database to record all my students' profiles
and
> and the current subject that they are enrolled in...

Zope includes a persistent object-database and a server which publishes the
database adn its methods to the web via a standard URL. All or parts of the ZODB
[Zope Object DataBase] can be imported and exported as a single binary file.
This same file works across operating systems.
There are a number of other database components you can select depending on
need. Also write your own and access any Python module. I had good resutsl using
BerkelyDB on  project. It's fast and a good fit to Python because of its
dictionary design.
The ZODB has been spun off from Zope for general Python use also, and well
documented by Andrew Kuchling and others:
http://www.zope.org/Documentation/Articles/ZODB1
http://www.zope.org/Products/StandaloneZODB

> now, i would like to create an interface for my students to upload their
> projects to a common place using the web (http possibly)...

Zope let's you manage onctent with powerful permissions hierrchy. That includes
upload via standard HTTP forms or with FTP. FTP puts you directly into the
object database and is faster.
The defautl Zope system is all done through the web.

A wonderful complementary tool is Jerome Alet's ZShell which gives one simple
Unix type shell access to managing Zope. I think it may be Zope's best kept
secret. Don't leave home without it:
http://www.librelogiciel.com/software/ZShell/action_Presentation

> how will i go about the project???
> what is the best server that i can use???
> what database will i use (access, gadfly, etc)???
> other things things that you think is necessary???

Zope is rich and complex, and growing. But you can do a tremendous amount
straight out the box without end for any custom development. It has many
components you can chose from. And an intense on-line community using and
developing it. Each with their own wikis and mailing lists. Some people consider
Zope overkill, or just don't feel right with it. It's free, openSource, cross
platform, and installs very quickly on any machine. So it won't take you long to
go for test drive and decide for yourself. There are several books out and many
on-line docs and tutorials. An embarrassment of riches, like most of the Python
world.

./Jason