Simple database program: Choosing one

[Stone Blue]

So, I'm in need of a very simple database program, and wanted to ask if anyone who had experience could help me choose one.

I've Googled for several hours, and Holy Cow!.... Pretty mind boggling for someone who has NO experience with databases...

I guess the issue is I need something SIMPLE and FREE... Which there seems to be a serious lack of...

Here's what I need:
 

• FREE
• Simple database creating and editing (GUI preferred - no cmd line)
• No db managing, administration, development, or programming functions necessary
• No internet or server functionality (will only be using it on a couple home computers)
• Must be able to import/export CSV and or .XLS / .ODS
• Prefer something that worx in both *buntu & Windoze (but if one or the other, would need to be Win)
• Small learning curve (I have NO database or programming experience)
• Did I mention SIMPLE and GUI?
• Did I also mention FREE?

I found three or four likely candidates, but either they were trial versions, or they didnt import/export, or they were cmd line

Something along the lines of RazorSQL (is trialware), SQLite (no GUI, requires programming), or sqlite Expert (free vers. doesnt support common import/export)

Any help would be highly appreciated

 

Edited April 26, 2016 by Stone Blue

[HebaruSan]

If you don't mind elaborating, what do you hope to accomplish with it? A database arguably is a programming tool, so if you don't want programming, some other kind of program might be better.

I tried Libreoffice Base for a few days a while back, and it seemed like a decent, standard database app. (Wife ended up preferring a simple text file for gardening data, through no fault of Base's.)

[Stone Blue]

Hmmm... Dang... I've used Libre(Open)office Calc & Writer for years... Somehow completely forgot about Base... I've never tried it, or even read up on it...

Thanx for the suggestion HebaruSan... I'll be back in a bit...

 

EDIT: Yup... Looks like Base is pretty much exactly what I was looking for ... Even has very extensive, easy-to-understand documentation...
Cant believe it didnt come up in any of my Google searches... Either my Google-fu is seriously slipping, or something is going on where LibreOffice is getting "muted" in Google searches... (most likely the former... )

Edited April 26, 2016 by Stone Blue

[VITAS]

if it has to be acc by multiple people simultaniously i would recomend xampp (includes mysql with phpmyadmin out of the box)

[Shpaget]

Recently I started using Obvibase.

It checks all the marks you set, except the "No internet or server functionality". It requires internet connection (I'm using google drive to access it).

It is free, except for sharing. There is a workaround for that, though. I use the same google account on all computers that I need to access the database on, so technically, there is no sharing since all the computers are the same user.

[DriveSoft]

Check out this video lesson

 

 

Also you can find free version of this app (v1.44)

[cantab]

For different needs, http://sqlitebrowser.org/

might be good. I think SQLite Browser will be more suited to learning, testing, and tinkering with database files. Something like LibO Base, or indeed MS Access, is more suited to making a front end application. (Indeed, if you want you can make Libreoffice Base use SQLite or any of several other databases for its back-end storage.)

[katateochi]

For development and testing of something simple (ie just single user access to the DB) I would suggest SQlite. It's a good my-first-database tool and for simple stuff it's fine and the database is just a single file (both a blessing and curse). A blessing in that you can just grab a copy of that file, replace it with past copies and in that respect is very simple and intuitive.  it's a curse because single file; slower access, poor concurrency.  
It is also very easy to move up from SQlite to the more serious DB (PostgreSQL) when you're more comfortable with DBs, and tbh setting up PostgreSQL in ubuntu is very simple (and free).
SQlite does not give you anywhere near the data types that PostgreSQL does, but it has the basics and from the sounds of it will be enough to get you going.

This article has a nice comparison and break down of the differences between SQlite, MySQL and PostgreSQL
https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/sqlite-vs-mysql-vs-postgresql-a-comparison-of-relational-database-management-systems