Good, cheap, customizable database program?

[Syt]

What the program should be able to do:

- customize/define what fields I want to capture
- is possible, have different categories of data sets in one database (e.g. people, places, organizations ...)
- allow to crossreference/tag entries

I know I could do all that in Excel, but I don't find Excel works well for administrating data beyond a certain size.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Take a look at SQLite Manager.  Its a Firefox plugin.

[Syt]

Thanks.

[Norgy]

http://www.firebirdsql.org/

Firebird is open source and if not fantastic, at least relatively useful.

[viper37]

What the program should be able to do:

- customize/define what fields I want to capture
- is possible, have different categories of data sets in one database (e.g. people, places, organizations ...)
- allow to crossreference/tag entries

I know I could do all that in Excel, but I don't find Excel works well for administrating data beyond a certain size.

Access + http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/en/us/editions/express.aspx

If you don't have Access in your Office version, it can be bought for a decent price, seperated from the rest, if you dig a little.

Of your could use LibreOffice's database with Microsoft SQL Server Express.  100% free.

[Zanza]

What the program should be able to do:

- customize/define what fields I want to capture
- is possible, have different categories of data sets in one database (e.g. people, places, organizations ...)
- allow to crossreference/tag entries

I know I could do all that in Excel, but I don't find Excel works well for administrating data beyond a certain size.

Access + http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/en/us/editions/express.aspx

If you don't have Access in your Office version, it can be bought for a decent price, seperated from the rest, if you dig a little.

Of your could use LibreOffice's database with Microsoft SQL Server Express.  100% free.

Installing a server that needs half a gig of RAM all the time and makes Windows start up slower is a bit over the top when all you need is a simple desktop database.

[Grey Fox]

What the program should be able to do:

- customize/define what fields I want to capture
- is possible, have different categories of data sets in one database (e.g. people, places, organizations ...)
- allow to crossreference/tag entries

I know I could do all that in Excel, but I don't find Excel works well for administrating data beyond a certain size.

Access + http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/en/us/editions/express.aspx

If you don't have Access in your Office version, it can be bought for a decent price, seperated from the rest, if you dig a little.

Of your could use LibreOffice's database with Microsoft SQL Server Express.  100% free.

Installing a server that needs half a gig of RAM all the time and makes Windows start up slower is a bit over the top when all you need is a simple desktop database.

It's still cheap tho.

[viper37]

What the program should be able to do:

- customize/define what fields I want to capture
- is possible, have different categories of data sets in one database (e.g. people, places, organizations ...)
- allow to crossreference/tag entries

I know I could do all that in Excel, but I don't find Excel works well for administrating data beyond a certain size.

Access + http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/en/us/editions/express.aspx

If you don't have Access in your Office version, it can be bought for a decent price, seperated from the rest, if you dig a little.

Of your could use LibreOffice's database with Microsoft SQL Server Express.  100% free.

Installing a server that needs half a gig of RAM all the time and makes Windows start up slower is a bit over the top when all you need is a simple desktop database.

That's what I use at the office.  It's slower in Vista, ok in Win7 64bit with 8gb ram.

[Iormlund]

It's still cheap tho.

If that's your main concern, PostgreSQL is much better. Not to mention a LOT more capable.

[Grey Fox]

It's still cheap tho.

If that's your main concern, PostgreSQL is much better. Not to mention a LOT more capable.

Yes. Not that I know the program, just that I've seem to be much in love with open source software nowadays.