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From InformIT]
PREVIOUSLY, IN OUR WORK WITH PHP, WE used a flat file to store and retrieve data. When we looked at this file in Chapter 2, Storing and Retrieving Data, we mentioned that relational database systems make a lot of these storage and retrieval tasks easier, safer, and more efficient in a web application. Now, having worked with MySQL to create a database, we can begin connecting this database to a web-based front end.
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http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1248325