Kath Pelletti
SDSSoftware at optusnet.com.au
Mon Mar 29 20:31:46 CST 2004
Wise / Sagekey
----- Original Message -----
From: Rocky Smolin - Beach Access Software
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 12:27 PM
Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: A survey from somebody not as well-connected as JC
Kath:
What package do you use to deploy your runtimes?
Rocky
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kath Pelletti" <SDSSoftware at optusnet.com.au>
To: "Access Developers discussion and problem solving"
<accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
Sent: Monday, March 29, 2004 5:52 PM
Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: A survey from somebody not as well-connected as
JC
Hi Steven:
1. My business (only 4 years old) has been 80% just using Access to develop
systems - sometimes as a runtime or just as a standard FE / BE setup. And I
do have some prototypes for some standard functions / setups I use and try
to make them as modular as possible so that they can easily be added /
removed.
My background is (20 years ago - programmer Cobol / RPG) then AP then Bus.
Analyst so I am starting to do more work in analysis and project management
and I find that with so much IT stuff outsourced there is a demand for
experienced business analysts.
This year my biggest client was taken over by an company who is very
Anti-Microsoft so having paid me for an Access / Outlook runtime system
which they had up and running very successfully, they then pulled the plug
on it, insisting that it be re-written in Lotus notes. So I offered to
project manage it for them and that has been this year's focus.
2. I have also had the learn more about web applications - using asp and
html in general. Again, I have done sub contracting to pull in some experts
while I work with them and learn as much as possible. I need to build on
this web knowledge in 2004.
---
I agree with Rocky's statement that there is money to be made in on-sales
but that is an area I haven't explored greatly.
No .Net development yet.
Kath
----- Original Message -----
From: Steven W. Erbach
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 2:16 AM
Subject: [AccessD] OT: A survey from somebody not as well-connected as JC
Dear Group,
This is for the independent developers only. If you work for a company and
you'd like to take the survey, just let me know that you're not an
independent developer when you reply.
I'm curious about what you independent developers have had to learn to
keep up with the changing marketplace.
1) If you've managed to maintain a significant clientele by developing
Access applications, what have you done to sharpen your skills to make you
more attractive as the developer of choice in a competitive field? That is,
have you developed a framework like JC, or have you gone more towards
developing front ends for SQL back ends like Arthur?
2) If you've moved away from Access development as your primary source of
income, what other platforms have you learned to make a living? Do you now
do mostly .NET development, ASP, SQL Server, PHP, what?
3) If you're doing .NET development, what kind of things are you doing?
Has it lived up to the hype? Last year about this time I was searching the
want ads for positions before I decided to stick with my own business. I was
amused by the ads that profiled the "ideal" candidate as one who had deep
.NET experience. The stinking product had only officially been on the market
for one whole year with another year in beta before that. Sheesh! Have you
seen any real live .NET implementations that are worth bragging about...or
have you created any?
In short, what have you had to do to make yourself useful as an
independent developer? I know that William works quite a bit with SBS and
LANs. Have any of you developed proficiency with cabling and routers and
such to increase your marketability?
Do you do any security consulting, say? Do you build custom-order PCs? Do
you do LAN management, e-mail server management and setup, web site
development?
One final thing: Years ago when I started I took advantage of the swing of
the pendulum that put PC power in users' hands. That is, the PC was a great
analysis tool for mainframe data. Lotus 1-2-3, dBASE III, Paradox, etc.,
were the tools that enabled users and departments to fiddle with the data
without having to wait for the IT department to get around to their little
pissant application requests.
Now the pendulum has swung the other way. Security concerns and
scalability and distributed networks / VPNs and web-based database
applications have all made the pendulum swing back towards centralized
control...and the IT guys are loving it. Or am I reading it wrong? What do
you think?
Regards,
Steve Erbach
Scientific Marketing
Neenah, WI
920-969-0504
Security and Virus information:
http://www.swerbach.com/security
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