Favorite 3rd party software with MySQL (1 Viewer)

Favorite 3rd party software with MySQL

Results of a poll conducted on favorite 3rd party software with MySQL:

http://mysql-dba-journey.blogspot.com/2007/12/favorite-3rd-party-software-with-mysql.html

I looked at what you had listed and I guess I'm so new to MySQL I'm confused at what these apps do. I was investigating SQLyog as an example and it seems it is a front end for MySQL and I am not quite sure why one would need it, except to insulate you from the internal workings of MySQL. I guess as I get better at MySQL I could see it speeding things up a bit but I mysellf want to know how to build SQL statements and establish connections from PHP.

Then again, I use Notepad to do all my coding and enjoy it very much and stay away from Dreamweaver and others like it.

Are there things these apps offer that are of real value?, make me a better developer? or do they just serve to insulate me from MySQL?