What should I use for a virtual SQL database server?

[octopod]

I have the microsoft SQL server thing but i'm sure there's better options out there, especially options that don't do this to my poor computer:

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/OOtYRmN.png[/IMG]

at the very least, i'd like it to be able to host a server on my own computer to play around with it, and to somehow view the database so i know what i'm doing to it

[Fourier]

PostgreSQL

[Darkwater]

MySQL/MariaDB and PostgreSQL are two popular SQL servers

[DrTaxi]

All of these are pretty popular and totally viable for professional use.

I'm not gonna get into the discussion about what the best RDBMS is, but MySQL is great for learning, as it's free, easy to set up, and there's lots of beginner resources/documentation on it. If you ever want/need to use something else, the vast majority of knowledge/skills transfer easily between all the SQL-based database systems out there.

However, if you installed MSSQL because a tutorial told you to, and you like that tutorial, then just roll with it. It's really not that important.

[Fourier]

Btw, 'virtual', what you mean by this?