[AccessD] Future of Access?

Chris,

All I would say about a 30 software project is that it will need to be
converted between 3 and 10 times over its lifetime.  Trying to say what
those conversions will entail is pure guesswork beyond the conversion of
A97 to whatever is the latest version of Access at the time.

But why even start with A97?  You are already two generations behind the
curve, and may be three behind by the time the contract starts.  If the
contract specifies industrial-strength security, then Access of any
existing version is not the place to start.  SQLServer is the minimum
starting point in this case.

Charles Wortz
Software Development Division
Texas Education Agency
1701 N. Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78701-1494
512-463-9493
CWortz at tea.state.tx.us



-----Original Message-----
From: Foote, Chris [mailto:Chris.Foote at uk.thalesgroup.com] 
Sent: Wednesday 2003 Jul 16 04:04
To: 'accessd at databaseadvisors.com'
Subject: [AccessD] Future of Access?

Hello all!

I'm in the process of putting together a document for my company. We are
bidding for a contract that will last for at least 30 years. I'm
proposing the use of an existing database created using A97 to manage
one aspect of this contract. I suspect that Access 97 will not be
supported (or indeed
supportable) come 2033. I need to put in some upgrade path. I'm thinking
along the lines of:

A97 upgrade to A2k in the next few years.
A2k to SQL(?) in 2005
Then what?

Anyone got a hotline to the future?

Is SAP going to be the next big thing or .NET or XML or....?

Any comments gratefully received.

I appreciate that predicting the death of Access on databaseadvisors.com
is a bit OT >;O

Best regards!
Chris Foote