Oracles/Access

[jonamua1971]

Hi all
i have been working with access for sometime now. A friend told me about oracles software for database. what is the difference between the two. thanks for all help

 

[boblarson]

Oracle is a database just like SQL Server is a database. Access happens to be a database but also include user interface tools that allow you to create something for your user to interact with the database portion of Access, or with SQL Server, or with Oracle.

Oracle is not something you just use for your users. You need to create an interface either in Access or in another programming language (VB.NET, Visual C#, C++, ASP.NET, Java, etc.)

 

[georgedwilkinson]

Oracle is the oldest and works much better than the others for incredibly large data sets. Oracle's SQL language is also much more feature rich, allowing for very complex queries that require programming in other DBMSs, using SQL constructs like "connect by" and "window". Oracle's built in language is based on ADA and is a little easier to get some types of results than SQL Server's built in language (please don't flame).

Oracle also requires a goodly amount of training to use. You shouldn't even bother with it unless you outgrow SQL Server (which is getting harder to do) and have extensive training.

 

[boblarson]

Oracle is the oldest and works much better than the others for incredibly large data sets. Oracle's SQL language is also much more feature rich, allowing for very complex queries that require programming in other DBMSs, using SQL constructs like "connect by" and "window". Oracle's built in language is based on ADA and is a little easier to get some types of results than SQL Server's built in language (please don't flame).

Oracle also requires a goodly amount of training to use. You shouldn't even bother with it unless you outgrow SQL Server (which is getting harder to do) and have extensive training.

Some good info George. Using it still requires some sort of user interface so that is one of the big things here - it isn't necessarily a replacement for Access completely, if you don't have another means of data entry, manipulation, and reporting. So that is another big ding in favor of not moving that direction.

 

[Banana]

Doesn't Oracle comes with a front end tool called Forms? I don't know how this would compare to Access's interface, though.

The fact that you must (well, not must, but practically speaking...) hire a team of consultant to just set up the Oracle database sure does put a damper on using it for your company whereas doing the same for MySQL or MS-SQL is relatively simple.

 

[boblarson]

Doesn't Oracle comes with a front end tool called Forms? .

Good question as I haven't worked with the full version of Oracle, other than some of gathering data in my current project, or using Oracle XE (like SQL Server Express)