Description:
The table information_schema.SCHEMATA contains a column named DEFAULT_CHARACTER_SET_NAME,
which reports the default character set of the corresponding database.

But, a table can also have a default collation, so it would be more helpful to report the
default collation rather than just the character set, imho.

How to repeat:
mysql> CREATE DATABASE foo DEFAULT CHARACTER SET latin1 COLLATE latin1_german1_ci;
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> SELECT * FROM information_schema.SCHEMATA WHERE SCHEMA_NAME='foo';
+--------------+-------------+----------------------------+----------+
| CATALOG_NAME | SCHEMA_NAME | DEFAULT_CHARACTER_SET_NAME | SQL_PATH |
+--------------+-------------+----------------------------+----------+
| NULL         | foo         | latin1                     | NULL     |
+--------------+-------------+----------------------------+----------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

mysql> SHOW CREATE DATABASE foo;
+----------+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------+
| Database | Create Database                                                              
           |
+----------+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------+
| foo      | CREATE DATABASE `foo` /*!40100 DEFAULT CHARACTER SET latin1 COLLATE
latin1_german1_ci */ |
+----------+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

Suggested fix:
Replace column DEFAULT_CHARACTER_SET_NAME by DEFAULT_COLLATION_NAME.

While I originally meant this as a feature request, I now consider this as a bug since the
only way to retreive a database's default collation is via SHOW CREATE DATABASE.

A patch for this bug has been committed. After review, it may
be pushed to the relevant source trees for release in the next
version. You can access the patch from:

  http://lists.mysql.com/internals/24628

Fixed in 5.0.6 tree

Noted in 5.0.6 changelog.