MySQL 5.0 Alpha Available For Download

MySQL AB released a preview of its latest open-source MySQL database Monday.

The alpha edition of MySQL 5.0 is an under-construction version that implements some, though not all, of the new features expected in the final release.

Among those currently in the alpha are stored procedures -- based on SQL-99 and similar to Oracle's PL/SQL -- that will, when completed, let MySQL hook in external languages such as PL/SQL and T-SQL. Other enhancements and improvements include faster-opening table files, support for column lengths greater than 256 characters, and dynamic length rows for HEAP tables.

The alpha can be downloaded for Windows, Linux, Unix, FreeBSD, Mac OS X, and Solaris from the MySQL Web site.