Ready or not, here I come (1 Viewer)

[nanscombe]

Hello to one and all.

I've been using Access since I picked up a copy of MS Access 2 at a computer fair many moons ago.

I spent about 9 years or so creating databases in Access 97 until I was made redundant at the end of 2006.

I bought myself a copy of Office 2003 before I left but haven't touched it in earnest since.

I've finally decided to get back into it and bought myself a copy of Office 2010, I think someone's been making a few changes whilst I've been away!

I used to mainly work on my own but would create databases from scratch from sitting down with users, working out what data they wanted to store, through designing all of the database objects to delivering the final product.

Over the years I dabbled in all sorts; mostly VBA with a few macros scattered here and there, linked tables, ODBC linked Oracle tables, SQL queries, importing and exporting data to text files and spreadsheets.

Oh boy, I'm really starting to prattle on now. Anyway, Hello.

Nigel
(Phew, that's the first post out of the way. )

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

Hello Nigel! And welcome to the forum.
I don't want to put you off straight away, but if I was starting out today, I don't think I would learn MS access, I think I would go for the .net languages, possibly VB .net.

I think you can still download a free version of this from the Microsoft website. Not trying to put you off access but I'm not sure it will be around as an independent product for much longer, and also learning .net will give you so many more options!

 

[boblarson]

but I'm not sure it will be around as an independent product for much longer

Not sure where you are coming up with that, but it is still going strong and Access 15 is under development as we speak. So, unless you have relatives working directly on the product, or in a position within Microsoft to know, I'm afraid that the same statement has been made many times over the years and has been proven wrong, time and time again.

And I do suggest someone learn as much as they can about everything they can, but to concentrate on a specific area that is going to be what they want to do. I would argue for C#.NET instead of VB.NET myself (which is what I'm working on learning for work) because that is more prevalent in the marketplace and is likely to continue to be so. But that's only my observations based on job advertisments I see.

 

[nanscombe]

Hello Nigel! And welcome to the forum.
I don't want to put you off straight away, but if I was starting out today, I don't think I would learn MS access, I think I would go for the .net languages, possibly VB .net.

I think you can still download a free version of this from the Microsoft website. Not trying to put you off access but I'm not sure it will be around as an independent product for much longer, and also learning .net will give you so many more options!

Hi Uncle Gizmo.

Whilst using MS Access for work, I've also been using MS Visual Basic (versions 5 + 6) on and off for many years so VB .Net is on my agenda. However, I thought it worthwhile bringing my existing skills up to date with MS Office 2010, i.e. getting to know the new interface etc.

I'm just working my way through the other office tools that I've not used so much Excel, Word, Outlook etc at the moment. Not just usage but the programmatic elements as well. I've got a subscription to Lynda.com so I'm currently going through their stock of training videos.

Hi boblarsen.

Yes, that's an idea about the C# flavour but currently I'm more familiar with the Microsoft flavour of programming languages. I wouldn't rule it out though.

Nigel

 

[boblarson]

Hi boblarsen.

Yes, that's an idea about the C# flavour but currently I'm more familiar with the Microsoft flavour of programming languages.

Hmm, well considering that MICROSOFT created C# and it is one of the primary Visual Studio 2003, 2005, 2008, and 2010 languages, I would say that it must be Microsoft flavoured, wouldn't you?

 

[nanscombe]

Hmm, well considering that MICROSOFT created C# and it is one of the primary Visual Studio 2003, 2005, 2008, and 2010 languages, I would say that it must be Microsoft flavoured, wouldn't you?

Hee, hee. Yes.

But I stopped at Visual Studio 6.

As usual I'm well behind the times, I was still using Access 97 in 2006.

As I say, I may well look in direction later on anyway once I've brought myself up to speed with the Office tools.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

This extract below eludes to a rumour which is relevant to this thread.. Thought you may be interested...

To all MS Access Developers...
Is the road ahead going to close on us at some point?

I am now consulting for a large state agency, and I am hearing a very disturbing rumor - one which they have sourced from within Microsoft itself. To be blunt, the rumor is that MS will at some point (after Office 14?) discontinue (at least future development of) the entire MS Access product (and/or remove it from MS Office?).

 

[boblarson]

This extract below eludes to a rumour which is relevant to this thread.. Thought you may be interested...

To all MS Access Developers...
Is the road ahead going to close on us at some point?

I am now consulting for a large state agency, and I am hearing a very disturbing rumor - one which they have sourced from within Microsoft itself.

Without knowing the source of the rumor it is just as valid as saying that "I hear, through someone at Apple, that Apple Computer is going to be discontinuing the iPhone and go to this new phone."
Who - Who - Who? So I think that is shaky info to go on.