David said:
> > Because I have some heavy number-crunching scientific applications, I'd
like
> > to program using the C language, CGI-BIN, and with MySQL (using its
> > C-language interface).

David:

I program in the xHarbour language (a C-based language). Several members
of our users group (www.xharbour.org and www.xharbour.com) use the Harbour
language to create executables (.exe's) for usage as CGI-Bin. I tried this
once myself a year or so ago (but only using localhost to train myself).

Harbour applications are compiled into 'C' functions, then those
functions are further compiled into .obj code, and then linked into an
executable. The Harbour language probably contains all the
number-crunching stuff you'll ever need. But, *in addition*, it is has a
native high-speed facility to use databases of a wide variety (because of
Replaceable Data Drivers - RDDs). I believe that C-librairies can be linked
into and be used with a Harbour app (but *may* have to be re-compiled). You
can either build your own xHarbour compiler (from downloade C-source code or
download the binary compiler (harbour.exe) from the users group.

Of the several choices of C-Compiler that can be used, my choice is
Borland's *free* Command Line Tools, which contains BCC 5.5 -- there are
other C compilers available also which are just as good (apparently).

The most widely used RDD in Harbour is similar to the FoxPro-type of
database (i.e., like the old style dBase databases). Much more modern of
course. So, the access from the Server (i.e., your xHarbour .exe) your
Database is extremely fast -- certainly much faster than SQL access.

Since, I'm *not* a guru, but simply an application programmer, I suggest
you join the Users' Forum, and 'smell around' for awhile. Anybody that came
up thru the past 15-20 years of xBase programming will be delighted at the
progress of this language -- all open source too.

btw, the xHarbour language (eXtended Harbour) is a big step forward over
the original Harbour language (both of these were began in 2001 and are
advancing very fast !

Please excuse the sales pitch !

Good Luck !

-Mel Smith