[PHP-DB] $result = true or false??

[Kevin Connolly]

Hi,    
    $db = mysql_connect("localhost", "root");
    mysql_select_db("mydb",$db);
    $sql = "SELECT * FROM employees where first = '$login'";
    $result = mysql_db_query ("mydb", $sql); 
    echo "$result";

If I run this cose then $result always = Resource id #2 even if $login is not a member 
of the database. 
Is there anyway I can get it to output true if $login is a member and false if $login 
is not a member? or at least get $result to be different if $login is in the database 
to that when it is not?

Thanks,

Kevin.