I realize this is perhaps a totaly dumb question but I just don't know. I do know that I have Fedora 9 installed on my system because someone told me I do, however when I run cat /proc/version I get this output:

Linux version 2.6.25-14.fc9.i686 (mockbuild@) (gcc version 4.3.0 20080428 (Red Hat 4.3.0-8) (GCC) ) #1 SMP Thu May 1 06:28:41 EDT 2008

can someone explain to me how this info above translates to Fedora 9?

Also...I need to install mysql I went to the download page and want to install via rpm but am unsure of which mysql installation is best for my version. Would it be Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4(x86) RPM, or Linux x86 generic RPM?

Thanks!

The fc9 in the kernel name means Fedora Core 9. I'm probably going to explain this wrong, but Fedora Core is sorta like the Beta version of the next Red Hat Enterprise Linux. That's why there is a reference to Red Hat which may be confusing.

If you can't use the Fedora package manager to install mysql system-wide, then you should probably ask your IT folks to install MySQL. Shouldn't be a problem if you really do need it. Otherwise, either RPM should work (assuming you're using an x86 machine). I would default to the RHEL version, but I'm not a Fedora or RHEL user.

Even if you do get mysql set upon the system you still will have to set up a root user and other housekeeping items. If your system is properly set up, you can use the synaptic package manager to point and click install of mysql. You also could go to the command line and enter "sudo yum install mysql" while connected to the internet as the system will automatically get the latest correct version. You should not have to go to the mysql page to get the install package. Either way you will need root privileges to install it. If you are on a corporate network, you should ask for help from the IT people. I will almost bet you may want to eventually install apache and php eventually. If you already have access to a lamp server, you can log into it and use the mysql there (if you have rights).

On Fedora you use the GUI Add/Remove Sw menu, supply the root passwd when prompted.
This will install the correct version & automatically handle dependencies.
The cli version is to use 'yum' as mentioned above.
F9 repositories may be closing soon, as F10 & F11 are both out.
Fedora has a fast turnover in versions, it is indeed effectively the beta for what will later be RHEL (& CENTOS). Can be a bit unstable.
If you don't want to keep up, try CENTOS (free version of RHEL).
Updates supplied for 5-7 yrs. current version is 5.3

(synaptic is not an RH tool)

synaptic may not have been in f9. but it was in the net install I did recently of f11. You are right about the add/remove tool. IF you have to run redhat, centos is the way to go. Some new users like ubuntu. I plan to change from ubuntu to centos soon.

In that case I should have said synaptic is not the native pkg mgr for RH based systems. iirc, its a Debian thing.
However you can get stuff like apt4rpm(?) so you can use synaptic if you really want.