[AccessD] Future of Microsoft Access

> I am very impressed with Microsoft Access and what we are able to do with
> it.  So far, I have not encountered anything that needs to be done that
> cannot be done with Access.  All of our applications are for internal use
> only and are there is no need for them to be Web-based.

========Access 2010 has a good web support. There are limitations, but it is 
much easier to create a web-based Access database now.

> If not Access for the small business environment, then what?

========Microsoft seems to push small business toward the Express suite.
>
> Are some people suggesting that Visual Studio is going to replace Access?

========I don't know why. Some developers are working wtih VS, but because 
they prefer it, I think.
>
> If so, isn't Visual Studio much more complicated and expensive than 
> Access?

========There's always the Express suite -- free, and while not the same, is 
a good deal. Personally, I find VB Express a royal pia... ;)
>
> If Access can get the job done, is there a need for a more powerful and
> complicated product?

========No, but there are other considerations.
>
> If we continue to build things with Access, are we going to be kicking
> ourselves 5 years from now?

========I don't know why. Even if you use Access, in 5 years, it's just as 
likely the app will be completely obsolete as still getting the job done.
>
> These are all probably dumb questions.  Please cut me a little slack as 
> many
> years of JCL, DB2, COBOL, BAL, etc have left me a bit feeble-minded  :-)

========Not dumb questions! I've been hearing this same lament since 1994 
(about) when I first took on Access. If I thought Access was the best tool 
for the job, at the time, it's what I'd use.

Susan H.