mySQL database structure

[Sarah Atkinson]

I am creating a form that will stick it's info into a database. the info is basic (first name, last name, address There are a few fields that would be similar to multiple choice. but your basic form.

Which would be better for organizing the database. have a table where everything is stored in ID, Name Value so that it would be something like 1,firstname, John; 1,lastname,Doe.

or where an ID number is unique and all the user data is stored in one row. ID,firstname, lastname, city,state..etc.

?

[jo1ene]

#2 seems pretty standard. Why would you choose #1?

[Sarah Atkinson]

That is how another database that I am working with created by someone who I asume has more knowlage in the area as me strucured it(I personaly don'tlike it but didn't know if maybe I was missing something.)

When it comes to technical stuff. I always asume I don't know most of the stuff out there. [cost me a job once when I admited I didn't know something to the president of the company and then sugested that since the level of importance and the risk involved he contract it out to someone who specialized specificly in that area I even had the VP behind me(or maybe I was behind the VP). oh well the board sacked him later for poor managment lol]

[jatar_k]

from I have read of your posts Sarah, I figure you have a pretty good unserstanding of a lot of things and have the tools to assess and understand what needs doing or at least where to start looking for answers.

go with 2, you knew that ;)

I have seen lots of "experienced" coders do a lot of stupid things, making systems too complicated or just doing things in an illogical fashion.

Try to understand what other coders do but never lessen your own skills just because they have been at it for longer. Often just means they have been doing stupid things for longer than you. ;)