MySQL, resource, and space/bandwidth limits

[rangerunseen]

Hey,
I'm thinking of using Hostgator to host my site. However, I read that it has a limit of 25 mySQL connections at a time, which is my major concern. I am somewhat confused on what dictates a mySQL connection. Is it the amount of different viewers on your website, or is it the amount of different viewers logged into your website? I plan to use Joomla, and I plan to disable the user system of it. So, again, my main question basically boils down to what a Mysql connection is.
My other questions are all related: Hostgator states that they have an unlimited bandwidth/storage per person. I understand that the cap lies not in the bandwidth, but the cpu usage. Using Joomla (with minimal "Extra" images), does anyone have a guess on how many people must be viewing my site in order for the cpu usage limit to be reached?
Thanks

[gwyneth]

Originally Posted by rangerunseen

Hey,
I'm thinking of using Hostgator to host my site. However, I read that it has a limit of 25 mySQL connections at a time, which is my major concern. I am somewhat confused on what dictates a mySQL connection. Is it the amount of different viewers on your website, or is it the amount of different viewers logged into your website? I plan to use Joomla, and I plan to disable the user system of it. So, again, my main question basically boils down to what a Mysql connection is.
My other questions are all related: Hostgator states that they have an unlimited bandwidth/storage per person. I understand that the cap lies not in the bandwidth, but the cpu usage. Using Joomla (with minimal "Extra" images), does anyone have a guess on how many people must be viewing my site in order for the cpu usage limit to be reached?
Thanks

Neither, though sort of related. A connection happens every time a script accesses a database; it should take a fraction of a second to open and close. Some scripts and some script addons are very efficient about connections, some are very inefficient.

A well-written CMS or forum app can have many more users simultaneously than 25; a badly done one may bomb out with one user.

So it really depends on which scripts you install, and which addons, in addition to website traffic.