In the internet world, Open Source Software or OSS isn't something unfamiliar. Terms such as Linux, PHP, MySQL, Apache and so on is something common and it was like everyone knows how to use them. But back into the business world, especially in our country, OSS is not something everyone would be talking about. Many of the big company here is still a strong supporter to Bill Gates's Microsoft products.

The company where I'm working now for instance, is using most of it's applications from Microsoft or using it's platform.

Why I Implement OSS?

Well, it was due to an improvement project which I proposed many months ago. The project objective is to slash do the A4 paper consumption in our department. We use about 17,000 copies of paper each month and I'm target to slash at least 80% of the consumption. Initially, IT department promised to source a suitable application to use on my project but month after months, nothing has been realised. So, like the saying, If you want something done correctly, you got to do it yourself! So I took up the task to develop our own application here in-house. But then, it ain't easy and there isn't much support from other department on this.

For the project, I need a web application to track data entry from several computer in the network and summarized all the data into a report at the end of the day. Since I have a bit of knowledge of PHP and MySQL scripting, I roughly have an idea how to make such application. At last, I get the green light to proceed with my Open Source Software thing and the only thing IT department provide is that they downloaded the PHP and MySQL program for me and I'm on my own. WTF!

I understand that they wont give me a server to host my web application cos it is costly but even an additional CPU or desktop also cannot get! I end up have to setup the programs into a shared computer. Yeah, talking about a US listed multinational company, cheh!

Setting up PHP and MySQL onto Windows 2000 IIS

I never did these things before cos usually I will just use XAMPP and get all the necessary stuff installed one shot in just a few minutes time. But these all-in-one Apache, PHP, MySQL programs is only good for development use. It is not that secure so I have to install each copy of the program individually.

Installing PHP and MySQL is not a difficult thing but to get both of them working accordingly is hell of a work. What I'm trying to say is that, I can't get the PHP script to connect to the MySQL database because the function is not enable by default! I feel this is kind of awkward cos I thought both PHP and MySQL has always be the set to operate with each other all the time but I was wrong.

The default PHP setting does not enable MySQL features so I'm getting connection error everytime I try to connect to MySQL. The solution to this is to copy all the required extension files (.dll) into the PHP folder and modify the php.ini setting to enable all the extension files. It took me several hours just to sort out this problem.

I almost spent the whole day working on the PC to get everything running accordingly and thank god I could get both PHP and MySQL running correctly. I just need to add in the PhPMyAdmin to manage the database and in a weeks time I will be putting up my first web application on a Open Source Software platform.

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