Future of Access

[Isaac]

I wrote a mini-article once that was partially about "why IT hates Access", and it wasn't all "bad IT" type of stuff, a lot of it was "bad Access programming" type of stuff. I still thin it's good reading, even for me to remember. I think of each point carefully and then ask myself if I'm contributing to why IT hates access

Tips For Newbies

Hi, I have been an enthusiastic amateur for about 5 years & a keen forum follower for the past 12 months or so and thought I may be able to pass on some tips that I’ve learnt from a newbie’s perspective. For background, my first exposure to ‘databases' was at a company I worked for, where they...

www.access-programmers.co.uk

One of the biggest things, IMO, of why IT hates Access, is that MANY Access developers (I can't emphasize how common this is after cleaning up processes at 10-12 companies) - Many Access developers create a new database every time they turn around.

That complicates the problems exponentially. Strive, instead, to make ONE database for an entire department, maybe two, but you get the point - there are a myriad of ways to separate work, queues, widgets, in such a way that the right people only see the right stuff.
I've made several databases that I'm sure my predecessor would have represented in 50 different Access files. I've even seen people create different databases for each different report! Isn't that crazy(?) IT sees it as a ridiculous amount of spawning and something that can't possibly be monitored or supervised.
Paint an easier picture for them - create FEWER DATABASES and learn how to get good at tab control and permission-based visibility

 

[Steve R.]

Really? If so, we would have all switched to PHP or HTML years ago when the push to go web got serious.

Well, you have a point. It becomes a question of thinking outside the box as the expression goes. Microsoft "controls/owns" the desktop environment. As such, the Microsoft environment is perceived as being the one and only approach for many people. Follow that up with the fact that Microsoft goes out and sells its products. Contrast that with the non-advertising for Linux. Overall the populous is blissfully unaware of open source software as a valid alternative. They are just happy using MS windows and are not thinking outside the box for superior solutions. MS Access is still a good and useful product. This website serves a very valid and useful purpose.

 

[AccessBlaster]

Just don't use a Debian version, it doesn't support most laptop WiFi adapters, while Ubuntu has everything you need built-in.

Edit: I added the word "laptop" for clarity. Debian does support generic WiFi Dongles,

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

I think MS will never retire Access because many government agencies and private enterprises have Access applications running for several decades,

And the same is true for some of the first iterations of programming like cobal... I understand many bank applications are built on incredibly antiquated software..,..

 

[The_Doc_Man]

And the same is true for some of the first iterations of programming like cobal... I understand many bank applications are built on incredibly antiquated software..,..

It is by now lost in the annals of anecdotes and worthy only of a good laugh, but during my college days, we found an article about someone who had critical software for his business running on an old IBM 650, which as time advanced, he ported to an IBM 1620-based 650 EMULATOR. (Didn't upgrade the program... just upgraded the emulation!) A few years later, he upgraded again by moving that mess to an IBM 7094 running an IBM 1620 emulator running the other emulators and the original code. And the article came out when that same company decided to upgrade to an IBM 360/50 running an IBM 7094 emulator, which ran the 1620 emulator, which ran the 650 emulator, which ran the original program. ALL of that was before 1970. Sheesh, and some folks get all worked up about VBA being emulated!

 

[jdraw]

And the same is true for some of the first iterations of programming like cobal... I understand many bank applications are built on incredibly antiquated software..,..

What is the popularity of cobol programming today?

From copilot
COBOL might not be the hottest language on the block, but in 2025, it's having a bit of a renaissance—especially in sectors where reliability trumps trendiness. Here's the scoop:


Popularity Ranking

• According to the TIOBE Index, COBOL currently ranks #22 with a 0.83% share of global programming language usage.
• While that’s far from the top, it’s still ahead of languages like Ruby, Lisp, and Prolog.

Where COBOL Still Reigns

• 43% of banking systems still rely on COBOL.
• $3 trillion in daily financial transactions touch COBOL code.
• 95% of ATM swipes involve COBOL.
• Government agencies like the U.S. Social Security Administration and IRS run millions of lines of COBOL code.

Job Market & Demand

• Job postings for COBOL developers have surged 300% since 2020.
• Salaries are competitive, with some roles offering $150k+ annually.
• The demand is driven by a shortage of COBOL programmers, as many are retiring and few new devs are learning it.

Modern Adaptations

• COBOL has evolved to run on cloud platforms like AWS and Azure.
• Some companies are integrating COBOL systems with APIs and microservices for gradual modernization.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

The State of Connecticut is the biggest Access user

Ah! That explains a lot!

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

Job Market & Demand

• Job postings for COBOL developers have surged 300% since 2020.
• Salaries are competitive, with some roles offering $150k+ annually.
• The demand is driven by a shortage of COBOL programmers, as many are retiring and few new devs are learning it.

This could be the future of MS Access as well!!

 

[NauticalGent]

Have a read:

Choosing and Executing a Strategy: A 4-Step Approach https://share.google/KEA8gXU1YcjXymvw6

 

[sonic8]

Well, I'm sure they antagonized many customers when Access applications stopped working because it could no longer automate Outlook.

No doubt, they did.
If they would do the same for Excel and Word, you can expect this to be multiplied by 1000.
And keep in mind: The transition to "New Outlook" is nowhere near completion. Most organizations depending on Outlook automation won't have switched to New Outlook yet.

 

[Mister-B]

Bruce, Access has been around since the early 90's. It's had a long run as a development platform and there is still nothing better for desktop development. One never knows what MS will do in the future but without a viable replacement, MS will probably not stop development any time soon. You should have a few years advance notice if/when development will stop and then a few years after that before support stops. So, there is nothing imminent.

I hope you'reright. I just learned the other day that Microsoft Publisher will cease to work after October 2026. There will be no alternative.

 

[gemma-the-husky]

I think firms often persist using antiquated software because of the time and money invested in the legacy systems. Not so much those elements. because they are already sunk costs, but in the knowledge that duplicating the software facilities in any new system is gong to be a very expensive, complex and time consuming process.

It's curious that Access is criticised in company environments but Excel is allowed to proliferate without anyone caring. The real isiue with Access, I believe is a lack of rigour and testing in developing solutions, and the potential for catastrophic outcomes - not really catastrophic maybe, but serious certainly.

 

[CJ_London]

but Excel is allowed to proliferate without anyone caring

In the uk there have been at least two excel ‘catastrophes’ in the last few years. The first when it was stated the level of covid infections had stabilised at 1m - actually due to the row limit of excel. And a couple of years ago the release of data on Afghan nationals fighting against the taliban - a simple file copy put the data out there. Wasn’t even password protected

In both cases an access db could have been almost as quickly set up which could have eliminated this as a problem

 

[AccessBlaster]

The real isiue with Access, I believe is a lack of rigour and testing in developing solutions, and the potential for catastrophic outcomes - not really catastrophic maybe, but serious certainly.

That’s the nature of programs like Access and Python, any novice (like myself) can start tinkering immediately without formal training, which can lead to unexpected exploits. Unfortunately, some of us feel compelled to help because proprietary software doesn’t always fit every situation gracefully. That’s why people like me create bridge programs to fill the gaps.

 

[LarryE]

I know that sometimes newcomers are put off by our insistence on "do it right the first time" and our pushing to "fix it now before the problem gets larger". But it's because we've all been there, done that and have the scars to prove it is where we are all coming from.

HaHaHa. Sometimes I think to myself, "Just wait until Pat gets a load of this guy's post". Maybe the ACCESS team should just grey out the ability to make forms and reports until at least one relationship is built in the relationship window. But really, ACCESS is no different than any other software product. If you attempt to use it in a manner that it was not intended to be used, you should expect problems. I don't care if its EXCEL or Quickbooks or a Computer Aided Design product.

As most of you know I do not have a background in programming. I took a FORTRAN class once in my junior year in college in 1969 (yeah, I am that old). We used punch-cards, and that was the first I tried to "program" anything. My Do Loops did not meet with approval. I started using ACCESS to keep track of our companies Y2K issues in 1999. I created several tables, made my relationships, made some forms and reports and never wrote a single line of VBA code. I just used native ACCESS, and it worked perfectly fine. Later, in 2001 I started using VBA code to make life a little bit easier.

I like ACCESS and have made numerous projects for my own use and others. I sure hope it remains in the Office family.

 

[AccessBlaster]

It’s a risk some of us are willing to take in order to help others and learn something new. Not every organization has someone on staff who can write code or the budget to build something from scratch that’s just not practical. It’s far easier to sit on the sidelines, watch people struggle, and do nothing.

 

[GPGeorge]

I hope you'reright. I just learned the other day that Microsoft Publisher will cease to work after October 2026. There will be no alternative.

I have a cousin who plans to move to Apple and alternatives to MS Office over this one. She creates regular newsletters for a couple of organizations she supports. Without Publisher, she'll need an alternative anyway, but she won't just stop with that one application.

 

[GPGeorge]

HaHaHa. Sometimes I think to myself, "Just wait until Pat gets a load of this guy's post". Maybe the ACCESS team should just grey out the ability to make forms and reports until at least one relationship is built in the relationship window. But really, ACCESS is no different than any other software product. If you attempt to use it in a manner that it was not intended to be used, you should expect problems. I don't care if its EXCEL or Quickbooks or a Computer Aided Design product.

As most of you know I do not have a background in programming. I took a FORTRAN class once in my junior year in college in 1969 (yeah, I am that old). We used punch-cards, and that was the first I tried to "program" anything. My Do Loops did not meet with approval. I started using ACCESS to keep track of our companies Y2K issues in 1999. I created several tables, made my relationships, made some forms and reports and never wrote a single line of VBA code. I just used native ACCESS, and it worked perfectly fine. Later, in 2001 I started using VBA code to make life a little bit easier.

I like ACCESS and have made numerous projects for my own use and others. I sure hope it remains in the Office family.

Many years ago, partly in jest, I suggested that in place of a license key, users could only install Access if they passed a 10 question quiz on Database Normalization.

I still think about that sometimes.

 

[NauticalGent]

I have a cousin who plans to move to Apple and alternatives to MS Office over this one.

From what I understand, Apple kicks the crap out of Windows when it come to desktop publishing anyway...

 

[GPGeorge]

From what I understand, Apple kicks the crap out of Windows when it come to desktop publishing anyway...

It probably does, but it's the principle of the thing that she complains about.