What should I install?

I was asked a simple question today by a collegue who is an experiened Java Developer and Oracle user and had just installed SUSE on his personal laptop, to align closer with his work environment. What MySQL should I install, the MySQL web site has this and this and this?

Simple question, but the answer isn’t as simple, especially when MySQL now has a number of different products encompassing client functionality in addition to the MySQL server.

Oracle got it right with the latest edition Oracle 10g Express Edition (XE). A simple one rpm install that includes the Oracle Server, Oracle client, a Web Based Administrator, Query Tool and Application Development tool. I guess as we are all experienced, the simple question isn’t something we have a some notes on handy, hence the purpose of my entry A Basic MySQL Developer Installation. NOTE: This is for a developer environment, installation would be simplier using RPM’s for a compatible Distro.

On that note, It would be good for MySQL to provide a more complete installation of it’s suite of products rather then letting 3rd parties package it all together. Problem is there are so many possible combinations, what do you do.