WTFU-like db-management



  • at the database class at my university, the practical part consist of 30 descriptions of datasets wanted from the 'shop' database, the assignment is to write the SELECT queries for it, views are allowed if they're absolutely necessary. Also the query shouldn't be horribly inefficient.

    so far so good, as for the database, it's a mysql one (no check constraints or foreign keys, so it fits the needs fine) and available in two ways:

    it's hosted centrally and it's also available as a zip file, dump it in the right directory of a working mysql server and it works fine too.

    since I'm already running a mysql server, the second looked nice, but I tried the central version first, since I might work on the project from somewhere else and I'm not too keen on opening my mysqld up to the internet.

    here's where the bad stuff begins, to get an account you have to mail the administrator with your studentnumber and the password you want. Below are the anonymized and translated contents of the emails that followed.

     


    AI to in2105


    studentnumber: xxxxxxxx

    password: cantthisbedoneautomatically


    Richard to AI

    Your account on the mysql server has been created, username is zxxxxxxx


    yes, this will be automatic as soon as someone makes the effort to do something about it.


     

    AI to Richard

    seems like I got access to the wrong database, information_scheme instead of shop, containing information about the database with me as only user.


    Richard to AI

    You technically have access to the shop database. The problem you flagged is already known and has been reported by multiple people.

    The strange thing is that sometimes you have access and sometimes you don't, while the rights are set correctly.

    We're still trying to figure out what the problem is, we'll announce it when it's found.


    Until then I can only say "try again later", reasonable chance you can access it fine tomorrow

     

    I unzipped the files into /var/lib/mysql/shop and it's working fine, I just checked the central one, it still doesn't work.


  • OT but seconded. I'd rather just have plain text and bb code. It's what's used on just about every other online forum
     I've been on, it works, and most importantly, I get what I expect.



  • http://www.fatcow.com/fatcow/index.bml requires its users to give their password over an unencrypted internet connection or telephone line for support.  It took me five minutes to come up with something more secure... that is, generate random "support IDs" on demand by the user that can only be used by support personnel once to log in to a user's account.


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