Newbie questions on using MySQL databases

Switching from flat file database

[runner]

I put together a few web sites that needed some dynamic content. I installed DBman which is a free flat file text database manager. All my data entry uses the stock DBman data entry pages. I wrote perl scripts to get the data from the flat file and generate the appropriate web pages. I call the perl scripts from ssi includes. It works great (for being free).

I have three questions:

1) Would using a MySQL database be more effieient when the site traffic starts to pick up. I think the flat file stuff would only be appropriate for low volume sites.

2) Is there a recommended book or web site that has some good examples of using MySQL databases on perl? I have never used perl to access a database so I don't know how hard it will be. I don't consider a flat text file to be a "real" database. All my current dynamic web pages are generated in perl using HTML::template

3) Are there some freeware or low cost apps or "other" solutions for getting the data in the MySQL database? Maybe a generic html-based data entry utility?

[physics]

Hi. Some sites (like this one) are able to use flat files even though they have a lot of traffic. But for most applications/programmers using a database will be better/faster.
Database access with perl is pretty easy. Basically you use a module called the perl DBI and execute SQL queries and then access the data pulled out with perl. See:
[oreilly.com...]

For a book check out "Programming the Perl DBI"
[oreilly.com...]
and
"MySQL and Perl for the Web"
[amazon.com...]

If you want to be able to 'easily' work with data in a MySQL database I recommend PHPMyAdmin
[phpmyadmin.net...]
This is like a web-based GUI for MySQL and is actually included in a lot of hosting accounts and is especially good for database beginners who want to 'get a feel' for what goes on with tables, keys, etc.

[runner]

I just ordered these two books... thanks for pointing me to them!