Topic: about mySql

[AJ Henley]

I was discomforted by the huge password for mysql as well.
And the first thing I do when I install a new 5.0 system is create another
user (superuser) for mysql to do this, run mysql and then type:

grant all on *.* to clark@((domain goes here, usually localhost)) identified by "kent" with grant option;

this creates a user (clark, with password kent) that has basically all the rights you need to install a script or what have you without having to type the 75 digit key

[Dan Brown]

Of course, if you're logged in as root, you don't have to type the password at all, as it's saved in /root/.my.cnf.  The only time you need it (or an equivalent) is for setting up something like phpmyadmin.  For anything else, you should be creating separate users for each database/app, so that a compromise of one won't compromise your whole system.

I agree, the long password is a bit of a pain, but it's used rarely enough that it's not much of an issue (at least for me).