MySQL and .Net 2005

Miscellaneous Forums/General Discussion/MySQL and .Net 2005

As a C# developer, I usually stick with MS Sql Server 2005 for my database needs. However, I'm tempted to dabble with MySql as my web host give me 50 free MySql databases (and only 2 MSSQL databases). I'm not yet sure how easy it is to work with MySQL from .Net 2005 (I'd rather avoid ODBC if possible). I'm concerned about performance issues when compared with MSSql 2005 and .Net's nippy native drivers.

Are there any good GUI Administration tools for MySql (preferably free but not necessarily)?

Are there any .Net developers here who have used MySql?