[AccessD] Moving out of MS Access?

Dan Waters dwaters at usinternet.com
Wed Sep 27 14:42:10 CDT 2006


Thanks Shamil!

It's good to hear some words from MS about where and where not to use
Access.  Most importantly, this will validate to many companies that Access
can be used for many of their applications.

Dan Waters


-----Original Message-----
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Moving out of MS Access?

Hi Dan,

The quoted article is published here (watch line wraps):

http://blogs.msdn.com/access/archive/2006/07/27/680772.aspx#comments

<<<
So, if MS can influence people to not use a high-powered tool with a
low-skilled driver, the reputation of Access as a business app will improve.
>>>
Maybe write a petition to Microsoft to include MS Access 2007 runtime into
MS Windows Vista? :) (Now, when MS Windows release is delayed and MS Office
12 release is on the way that could be possible to do?)

BTW, "MS Access" gives ~112 million hits on google and Visual studio "just"
~87 million...

--
Shamil
 
-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Dan Waters
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 10:29 PM
To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Moving out of MS Access?

Hi Shamil,

This is just about my favorite soapbox!

In any organization, there is someone or a few people who learn how to begin
using Access as a database, usually to track or manage a departmental
activity.  They use it themselves, then learn that with a few changes, it
can become a shared database.  But then even more people start using it, and
it breaks due to poor design.  But by now, the department (or company)
depends on it.  So the department manager goes to the IT department and
tells them that he needs this database fixed right away!  Predictably, the
IT department sees this scenario more than they want to.  From their
perspective, they must now go into a significant database design effort,
with no time planned for and no budget planned for.  After a few times of
this, it's easy to see why Access gets blamed.  So, to get off the hook, the
IT department will blame Access, and demand that Access no longer be used
for company applications.  You really can't blame them.

The problem is that Access is too easy to use to create a useful application
without the 'developer' having training.  Think about VB - you don't just up
and make a VB front end app with back end tables without some training!

I have one customer which uses my Access app for Corrective Action,
Nonconforming Material, Debit Memos, Die Cast Machine Settings, Vacation
Requests, Attendance Tracking, Warnings, Controlled Documents, and soon to
be Training Management.  This is all in one FE, using a separate .mdb for
Temp tables, a library database with forms, reports, and standard modules,
and a BE data .mdb.  It's very effective, and they literally don't have to
hire as many people.  So yes - Access can be used very effectively for
business applications.

Interestingly, one of the reasons I started working with them is because
they had a Quality Engineer who tried to create a Corrective Action process,
but couldn't write any code.  (She was gone before I got there.)

So, if MS can influence people to not use a high-powered tool with a
low-skilled driver, the reputation of Access as a business app will improve.
They may already be doing this by providing a large number of usable
templates for people to use 'out of the box.'

That's my 10 cents (with inflation)!

And - Shamil - where is this report published?  I'd like to be able to refer
prospective customers to it.

Dan Waters


-----Original Message-----
Subject: [AccessD] Moving out of MS Access?


Hi All,

Is this article from http://blogs.msdn.com/access/default.aspx just a cry of
MS Access Team trying to stop the massive(?) exodus of MS Access developers
or it shows the real picture and place of MS Access in corporate world and
that MS Access isn't yet dead for real business tasks development ?

What do you think and what do you see there overseas?

<quote url="http://blogs.msdn.com/access/default.aspx">
Market research by Microsoft indicates that fewer than 5 percent of all
Access applications developed in large enterprises have requirements that
justify moving the data from a Jet database to SQL Server, and fewer than 1
percent require migrating the forms, reports, and code to a .NET-based
solution.
</quote>
Does this mean there is a demand for the new MS Access development or just
that there is no usually any need to migrate old MS Access applications to
MS SQL/.NET?

<quote url="http://blogs.msdn.com/access/default.aspx">

Microsoft Office Access and Enterprise IT

Case Study: Streamlining Application Development

Peter Mullen is Manager of Application Development in the corporate services
department of a Fortune 500 insurance company with almost 50,000 employees
and over 500 offices in 120 countries. Following a major acquisition, the
company undertook a reorganization that involved centralizing its data
management. Mullen, who had some experience working with Microsoft Office
Access, started exploring the ways that Access database applications were
being deployed across the enterprise. He was stunned to learn how
pervasively Access was being used. Mullen says, “Access was all over the
place doing so many things that it blew my mind. Once I became known as ‘The
Access Guy’ there were people all over the company who wanted my time.”

Not surprisingly, the quality of the Access applications Mullen discovered
was quite variable. To Mullen’s trained eye, some were in fact very poorly
designed, and yet they were getting the job done. Mullen also found
positions hidden in the payroll in the field that consisted essentially of
supporting a small number of departmental Access applications.

Mullen and his manager put together a presentation for the Chief Information
Officer (CIO), proposing that the IT department begin formally supporting
Access development at the company. They outlined a strategy for centralizing
and rationalizing management of the Access applications that were evolving
under the radar of their traditional portfolio management. The CIO saw the
value in this proposal right away, and Mullen became the lead developer of a
new group that was formed for this purpose. Mullen’s group created and
nurtured the use of naming standards, coding standards, and standard
methodologies. They also were able to reduce headcount in the field as
support activities were centralized.

Mullen reports that after about two years, “We had standard code; we had
about 200 applications, and we were handling it. We started to rationalize
our portfolio and really started to communicate exactly what we were doing
to IT. This was the key point¾that a lot of people in the organization
started to see what we were really about. These were complicated problems
being solved without spending a lot of money.” As more people in the IT
organization learned of the success of Mullen’s group, he began to receive
requests for “bolt-on applications, small department tracking projects, and
proofs of concept. We hit a few of these and we had a real perceived value
to the organization.”

Mullen summarizes what he’s learned about the optimal role of Access in the
enterprise as follows:

“Access development in corporate organizations is simply a reality. People
in the business are constantly looking for ways to add value to their
customers and to free up their staff from mundane chores using automation
that is inexpensive and easily accomplished. This is the strength of Access.
The problem, from an IT perspective, is that the business comes to depend on
products created without any IT involvement. Someone—usually an outsider or
a low-level employee—becomes vital to the support of the product. So the
question for IT becomes, ‘Will we provide support for this process?’ In my
experience, providing an organized group that can create and support Access
applications is a solid investment. It adds real and perceived value to the
business and prevents a whole portfolio of applications from being developed
under the radar of IT.” 

 Mullen continues, “IT usually looks at all of the Access applications that
are developed in the field as problems to be eliminated. I look at them and
I see opportunity. Applications developed in the field are sometimes things
that should never have been created; yet often they are products that are
highly valued and fill a real need. By treating field applications (which
most often means Access) with respect, and providing support and portfolio
management, you can sometimes find patterns of demand in your organization
and help drive real IT value back to the business.”

Mullen is now working with the Architecture Team in his organization to
identify candidates for migration to SQL Server and .NET applications.
Mullen says, “Much of our portfolio will remain in Access, but some will
migrate. There will always be a need for those quick and inexpensive
solutions. The important thing is to keep track of these applications. They
are the fingertips of your IT organization.”

Market research by Microsoft indicates that fewer than 5 percent of all
Access applications developed in large enterprises have requirements that
justify moving the data from a Jet database to SQL Server, and fewer than 1
percent require migrating the forms, reports, and code to a .NET-based
solution.

Access developers, administrators, and users now have a new toolkit to aid
them in analyzing Access 97 databases for upgrade and conversion to Access
2003. Users can take advantage of the tools in the Access 2003 Conversion
Toolkit to find and analyze databases in preparation for switching to Access
2003. For upgrading to the 2007 release, Microsoft plans to release the
Microsoft Office Migration Planning Manager.
<quote>

--
Shamil
 

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