[Tutor] Large scope CGI & DB problem... where to start?

[Ryan Booz]

Hello all...

I'd like to ask some questions about a CGI program I'm trying to write
(well, just trying to do the planning right now) and see if I can get
some starting points.  I'm still on the low end of the learning curve
with Python (learning and teaching at the same time), but I'm getting
ready to leave this school at the end of the year, and want to leave
some useful web-based management programs here for the guy that is going
to take over.  Of course, it's also giving me a chance to get more
programming experience.  I know that I'm asking a question that probably
has many other better solutions (PHP for instance, maybe ZOPE) but I
figure I'll get a start here and explore the other options as I have
time to learn those tools.

The first program I'm working on is a weekly computer lab schedule that
can be updated to show (ala calendar type table) the periods for the
desired week, what classes are in the lab, and how many computers are
open during each period.  If there is an "open" period (or open
computers) a teacher can schedule that period for their class.

So, getting the table drawn is simple enough with a CGI script.  But,
I really don't have a good sense how to start thinking about storing the
data.  Separate file for each week of school (this seems terribly
inefficient)? One large file with dictionaries or shelving? Would it be
easier to set up a MySQL DB and interface with that (yeah, I'm just
trying to start the DB learning curve also.... ahhhh!).

I know this is a pretty large scope question.  And, depending on how I
store the data, would determine how I retrieve the data for each given
week.  So... I'm new and inexperienced.  Any suggestions, even "you're
going about this all wrong - use _______ instead", would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks for the advice and help,
Ryan Booz
Tech Coordinator
Belleville Mennonite School