Alter table question

[Eiolon]

I currently have a table where the name is one column for both the first and last name.

 

Names are entered in the following format:

 

Smith, John

 

I would like to have a column for both first and last name.  What would be the best method to splitting the names up so the first and last name ends up in the respective columns?

 

I am trying not to have to retype everything as there are about 300 names.

[mikosiko]

Alter the table (rename current field, add new field)  and then use UPDATE to get the right fields values using substring functions

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/string-functions.html#function_substr