mysql_setup.txt

sudo apt-get install mysql-server
# drop anonymous user
shell> mysql -u root
mysql> DROP USER '';
# set root passwd
mysql> UPDATE mysql.user SET Password = PASSWORD('newpwd')
    ->     WHERE User = 'root';
mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

CREATE_DATABASE my_super_db DEFAULT CHARSET utf8;

# need to add the encoding key to database.yml
#development:
#  adapter: mysql
#  database: my_super_db
#  encoding: utf8
#  username: root
#  password:

# You can determine the default buffer sizes used by the mysqld server using this command:
shell> mysqld --verbose --help
# System variable and status information also can be obtained using mysqladmin:
shell> mysqladmin variables
shell> mysqladmin extended-status
# preconfigured option files to use as example
http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/option-files.html#option-files-preconfigured
# innodb vs myisam
http://blog.evanweaver.com/articles/2007/04/30/top-secret-tuned-mysql-configurations-for-rails/
# conclusion => probably innodb (alternate ending 1)