Life-Cycle of MS Access?

[Toothless Key]

Life-Cycle of MS Access?

Can someone direct me to an MS web page that discusses the life-cycle
of MS Access, or even a previous post in this or any other group.

I recall reading someone's comment that developers should not use
Access because it's being replaced by SQL Exress or Desktop Edition.
Just be cause I read it or someone commented does not make it so.

Thanks in advance,

Toothless.

 

[Allen Browne]

Every once in a while some ignorant prognosticator makes statements like
those.

The reality is that Microsoft is very exited about the next version of
Access. You can read their comments at:
http://msaccessadvisor.com/doc/14978

Particularly this part of the article:
<quote>
In fact, the development team at Microsoft tells us its highest priority for
Access 12 is improved usability. Microsoft wants to make it easier than ever
to create Access applications. Microsoft Access lead program manager Clint
Covington says, "You'll find a strategic commitment to radically upgrade the
quality of Access applications by improving the core forms and reports
experience, using Jet as the query processor."
</quote>

A few days ago, Erik Rucker also started this blog on Access 12:
blogs.msdn.com/access/

 

[Brendan Reynolds]

Microsoft publish their support live-cycle plans for individual *versions*
of products, not for products per se. They are committed to providing
mainstream support for Access 2003 until the end of 2008 and extended
support until the end of 2013.

http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=2509

To the best of my knowledge, no release date has yet been announced for
Office 12. Assuming that it is released some time next year then I would
expect that mainstream support for Access 12 will continue until about 2012,
and extended support until about 2017.

It makes about as much sense to suggest that Access will be replaced by SQL
Express as to suggest that sewing machines will be replaced by umbrellas.
The two products are simply not comparable.

 

[Toothless Key]

Thank you very much Allen Browne and "Brendan Reynolds for your prompt
and trustworthy replies.

I've included below both of thier replies to my question below.

 

[dbahooker]

Toothless

these guys are wimps

use SQL Sever and ACCESS DATA PROJECTS

it's the best stack in the world; and the queries are MUCH more
powerful.

 

[Roger Carlson]

An Access Project (ADP) with a SQL Server backend is a perfectly good
solution...IF you have SQL Server and IF you don't need to incorporate data
streams other than SQL Server. But for all round flexibility and ease of
use, nothing can beat an Access MDB.

--
--Roger Carlson
Access Database Samples: www.rogersaccesslibrary.com
Want answers to your Access questions in your Email?
Free subscription:
http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=ACCESS-L

 

[JIM WHITAKER]

I agree, I haven't seen anything as good as access yet. It's even a good
frontend to MySQL. Hint, the only people whom don't like access probably
don't know how to program in vba -- I do and I like access. I've used a
very very complex truck dispatch application for over 5 years now on a
network. I'd put the complexness of this up against anything else I've seen
programmed in any language anywhere.
No different than some people can't walk and chew gum at the same time.
I do access, mysql, and msde all at once (different applications), and like
them all. But guess what, access is still at the center of each.
P.S. To Allen, I have learned a lot from your site and examples, thanks.

 

[dbahooker]

ADP is better than Access

a) MSDE is a free solution
b) SQL Server has taken over the world

i do agree that MDB beats ADP on ease of use- - but either way, most of
my newbie friends can't learn Access now matter how hard i try to show
them

And it's just-- the debugging in MDB drives me absoultely batty. it's
like IMPOSSIBLE to write queries without having them 'just crap out'
and stop working

that's why i love ADP-- you get a real query engine.

MDB is nice. but ADP is just as powerful; you can bind sprocs to forms
just like you can in an MDB

and it's gorgous

 

[Allen Browne]

It makes about as much sense to suggest that Access will be replaced by
SQL Express as to suggest that sewing machines will be replaced by
umbrellas. The two products are simply not comparable.

LOL! That's good Brendan; spot on.

 

[Ralph]

ADP is better than Access

a) MSDE is a free solution
b) SQL Server has taken over the world

i do agree that MDB beats ADP on ease of use- - but either way, most of
my newbie friends can't learn Access now matter how hard i try to show
them

And it's just-- the debugging in MDB drives me absoultely batty. it's
like IMPOSSIBLE to write queries without having them 'just crap out'
and stop working

that's why i love ADP-- you get a real query engine.

MDB is nice. but ADP is just as powerful; you can bind sprocs to forms
just like you can in an MDB

and it's gorgous

With MSAccess if you want to share your data you just send an email and
insert the .mdb. Try including SQL Server in an email.

-ralph

 

[aaron.kempf]

Ralph

other than the FACT that most email programs strip MDB files-- i'd
agree with you

more importantly

you can email a tiny ADP file that will work against BILLIONs of
records; and your exchange admin won't bitch about 10mb attachments

 

[Larry Linson]

you can email a tiny ADP file that will
work against BILLIONs of records;
and your exchange admin won't bitch
about 10mb attachments

Same with MDB...

 

[Larry Linson]

It makes about as much sense to suggest
that Access will be replaced by SQL
Express as to suggest that sewing machines
will be replaced by umbrellas. The two
products are simply not comparable.

Darn! I guess this means I need to rush out and buy a replacement sewing
machine. <GRIN>

Larry

 

[Dave]

Wimp, real men use SAP or if they want to slum it, Oracle.

This is stupid, you use the database format which is appropriate for the
application, for small standalone or small workgroup applications Access is
quite adequate. Overkill is just as daft as underspecifcation.

Dave O.

 

[Ralph]

Ralph

other than the FACT that most email programs strip MDB files-- i'd
agree with you

more importantly

you can email a tiny ADP file that will work against BILLIONs of
records; and your exchange admin won't bitch about 10mb attachments

True. I wasn't flaming, just pointing out that while in general a file-based
database has a few short-comings, it sure makes it simple to copy, backup,
and share.

While this is a VB newsgroup, it is good that you bring up ADP. It is
probably one of the better kept secrets of MS Office products. One sees a
ton of postings were someone is struggling with VB's DataForms and
DataReports going against a Jet engine. They could certainly get better
features and a consistent environment if they just used Access.

However, like all solutions it is not appropriate in all situations. The
advantage of a pure VB/ADO-DAO/Jet approach is the flexibilty to make any
design work, even a bad one. <g>

-ralph

 

[Ralph]

Wimp, real men use SAP or if they want to slum it, Oracle.

This is stupid, you use the database format which is appropriate for the
application, for small standalone or small workgroup applications Access is
quite adequate. Overkill is just as daft as underspecifcation.

Dave O.

However, it does explain why more 4-wheel drive vehicles are sold in flat,
dry, urban, Houston, Texas than anywhere else.

More Power! Ughhh, Ughhh.

-ralph

 

[aaron.kempf]

ralph

i can make any design work in ADP; VB doesn't give you jack shit except
DLL hell

ADP friggin rocks

it's not about 'more power'-- its about making people stop using EXCEL
because we're tired of them sitting around making the same damn
spreadsheet week in and week out

With ADP; end users can write sprocs and views-- I dont see this as
always being a bad thing

It's drag and drop-- a better interface than MDB QBE

it just works a lot better all around

More horsepower?

I think that the thing that I'm concerned about is that 70% of
corporate america are spreadsheet dorks-- they sit around making the
same damn spreadsheet week in and week out.

It's time that we start treating these 'analytic types' to the same
types of schedules that we stick to our 'real developers' because these
spreadsheet dorks use up 70% of our HR budget.

MORE DATABASE PEOPLE. LESS SPREADSHEET PEOPLE.

Best long term access solution is ADP.

 

[Paul Clement]

¤ ADP is better than Access
¤
¤ a) MSDE is a free solution
¤ b) SQL Server has taken over the world
¤
¤ i do agree that MDB beats ADP on ease of use- - but either way, most of
¤ my newbie friends can't learn Access now matter how hard i try to show
¤ them
¤
¤ And it's just-- the debugging in MDB drives me absoultely batty. it's
¤ like IMPOSSIBLE to write queries without having them 'just crap out'
¤ and stop working
¤
¤ that's why i love ADP-- you get a real query engine.
¤
¤ MDB is nice. but ADP is just as powerful; you can bind sprocs to forms
¤ just like you can in an MDB

They each have their own uses and applications so one isn't simply *better* than the other one. If I
need database portability MSDE or SQL Server wouldn't be a viable consideration.


Paul
~~~~
Microsoft MVP (Visual Basic)

 

[dbahooker]

database portability?

MSDE ON THE DESKTOP!!!!

 

[dbahooker]

Larry

now.. in an MDB you have TABLES

and everyone knows that running MDB against other MDBs across a network
is a big performance no-no

that's the goddamn problem with MDB-- it's impossible to
maintain/deploy/manage and have decent performance