[AccessD] Should Business use Access?

Darryl Collins darryl at whittleconsulting.com.au
Sun May 4 20:16:37 CDT 2014


Yeah, Totally agree Rocky.

Some of the folks I work with now use Sharepoint lists via Office 365 - (who would have thought, but for simple solutions they work really well) rather than MS Access for their data base requirements - and this work great for them and they are stoked I moved them over.  

However, I would never push an solution or platform onto a client without really understanding their needs, requirements, technical skills, budget and number of employees / growth (both now and future).  What works great for Client A might not be so good for Client B.

We still use MS Access extensively in my current 'day / real job' role - although due to using more complex and larger data sets I have created a SQL Server BE solution for them here for the main tool set we use.  Even so much of what we do is purely Access.  This is largely because we build a lot of ad-hoc and one off type solutions for each project and Access is agile and easy to use and fast to whip up solutions.  Access is also 100% transportable which can be super useful as well.

Other places I do work for are still 100% MS Access (or god forbid - ¡qué horror! Use only MS Excel) for their needs.

I like the sound of Alpha Anywhere and I appreciate the x-platform functionality and (probable) ease to set up and use, but I don't have any clients who have a need for that.  The few that do need 'cloud' / mobile type solutions use Office 365 and are very happy with it.  

I am also happy with it given there is pretty much zero maintenance required with 365 once you have it up and running (and since I am the IT Fix It dude for these places that is very good for me, and indeed, them).

I can see examples where A.A. would be the ideal solution - assuming you can find someone to support it for you, but for most of the micro / small businesses I work with (outside of my 'real' job) it is just not required.

Cheers
Darryl.

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Rocky Smolin
Sent: Monday, 5 May 2014 10:29 AM
To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Should Business use Access?

Right tool for the job.  Sometimes a vise grip is not the right tool even though it can do lots of stuff.  Like driving a screw.  Vise grip - bas, screwdriver - good.

So why does it have to be either/or.

Some of my long time clients:

1. sport fishing company
2. audio visual equipment rental
3. seed distributor
4. commercial real estate appraisal
5. steel service center
6. CPA course marketer
7. Carmelite Monastery
8. HVAC fabricator

All of these outfits are 2-6 users.  They DON'T want SQL or .Net.  They
don't have the support for those platforms.   They are blown away at how
fast an inexpensively I can deliver a working application.   

Even my manufacturing app which goes into manufacturing companies from startup to $20,000,000 or so. 2-10 users.  They DON'T want a DBA on staff.
SQL is overkill.  Access is perfect. 

It's not for everyone and the range of companies may have changed over the last 10 years.  But I love obsolete technology.  I works!

R


-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Bill Benson
Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2014 3:07 PM
To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'
Subject: [AccessD] Should Business use Access?

I think you all might get a kick out of reading this. It starts out with some guy talking trash about Access... and ends up with dozens of responses to his rather irresponsible and poorly thought out (meanwhile *trying* to sound authoritative and long-suffering) - blog post.

http://blogs.starcio.com/2013/04/please-stop-creating-microsoft-access.html

Maybe you all are tired of the debates, but I have not read many of these so for me it was entertainment. My favorite line is from Michael Grimmet 5:43PM that begins: "I've made a couple million dollars as a silly Access developer. Still make big bucks on it to this day." I want to live that dude's life!

-Bill B

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