No you don't. Versions of MySQL lower than 4.1 do not have built in UTF-8 support. However, Joomla! 1.5 has made provisions for backward compatibility and is able to use UTF-8 on older databases. Let the installer take care of all the settings and there is no need to make any changes to the database (charset, collation, or any other).

Course Description: This class provides a comprehensive overview of all the most commonly used aspects of the ALUI/WebCenter Corporate Portal. Students will learn how to administer the ALUIWebcenter Interaction portal. It is also for the person wanting to understand how to conduct a Portal project. In 3 days you will implement a portal that can be used as a departmental solution. All aspects of ALUI are reviewed including, Portal, Automation, Search, and Web Services --Portlet registration, Communities, Experiences, Taxonomy creation, importing content, and best practices to keep the portal up and running. Prerequisites: • No Prerequisites for the overview /planning section conducted the first day and a half • No Prerequisites for the content management and Administration sections. Fee: • $1,500 per Student (3 Days) • Maximum Of 12 Students with one instructor • Special Pricing for training packages