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Microsoft Access Sighting

Microsoft Access

I still use Microsoft Access… Just as there are “a lot” of FoxPro users, there will always be “a lot” of Access users. My relationship with Access suffered two heavy blows: its limited use in “real” Web applications and the macro virus crisis that (to me) dealt Microsoft a heavy blow. The Access 2003 screenshot above completely summarizes my personal use of Microsoft Access.

I use one ADP file for many databases. Access can automatically detect relations among tables and render sub-datasheets on the fly. Column widths, frozen columns and Combo Boxes can be defined for the datasheets as well. All of these definitions are stored on the server, among the extended properties—this why all I need is one ADP file. This ADP file serves as my bottom-rung, quick-and-dirty data entry front end for DBMS catalogs, mostly SQL Server.

Microsoft Access will never go away in theory. Its legacy shows up in the Visual Studio product line, namely the wonderful “data binding” technologies. This just in: there is an Office 12 Access Blog.

Comments

DataMouse, 2006-08-16 19:54:29

I still use Access, too. It's a fantastic tool ,providing that you know how to use it and its limitations. Client-side databases will always be around simply because they can be developed very quickly, which keeps developers overheads low. Great blog, btw.

Danny

rasx(), 2006-08-17 17:12:07

Much appreciation! There is a tiny version of SQL Server out there called SQL Everywhere. I'm sure it will also be called Access soon...

rasx()