Optimizing MySQL tables

What's a good rule?

[grnidone]

How often should one optimize MySQL tables?

Is there a good rule?

[jatar_k]

[mysql.com...]

In most setups you don't have to run OPTIMIZE TABLE at all. Even if you do a lot of updates to variable length rows it's not likely that you need to do this more than once a month/week and only on certain tables.

sounds like a rule more or less.

[jonknee]

It's a better idea to keep up on your code and make sure there aren't any extra queries. Also, watch your indexes. A good index can dramaticlly speed up queries.

[killroy]

When ever I havea batch insert or update that takes some time I plunk the optimize in there too as the extra time won't show... except of course for large tables (where it can take half an hour or more).

SN