Tip The Ten Commandments of Access

[bulrush]

You people forgot a major one for managers:

"Thou shalt not hire a database manager without at least a 4 year degree in computer science or the equivalent."


You would not believe how common it is for a secretary to be doing database design. Not that secretaries are bad. But I don't want a brain surgeon fixing my car either.

 

[shadow9449]

You people forgot a major one for managers:

"Thou shalt not hire a database manager without at least a 4 year degree in computer science or the equivalent."

That is an interesting point. I do have a university degree in computer science and I'd actually be interested in speaking to others here about their feelings of how much it has or hasn't helped in their career.

SHADOW

 

[mrrayj60]

I told my boss about the help I was getting from this site and noted how many people were from England, She quickly noted that its always cold and raining there, no reason to go outside. lol Thanks all, especially the brits! Stay warm and dry.
Ray
Brooksville, Florida

 

[Rabbie]

That is an interesting point. I do have a university degree in computer science and I'd actually be interested in speaking to others here about their feelings of how much it has or hasn't helped in their career.

SHADOW

When I worked for a major UK computer manufacturer my old boss once told a professor of computer science that the one advantage that a computer science graduate had was that we didn't need to show them how to turn their PC on.

 

[shadow9449]

When I worked for a major UK computer manufacturer my old boss once told a professor of computer science that the one advantage that a computer science graduate had was that we didn't need to show them how to turn their PC on.

That's interesting because when I was in Computer Science, there was a joke passed around like this:

Q: How many Computer Science grads does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None. That's a hardware problem

The truth is that we studied JK Flipflops, logic gates, integrated circuits, multiplexers, and far more. But given anything practical with regard to hardware and we'd be at a loss.

I maintain that I'm a better coder because of the university background than I would have been without it. Before I touched Access, I spent years programming in C and C++ both in school and commercially. I'm curious what other people with degrees have experienced.

SHADOW

 

[Galaxiom]

The most dasterdly work of the evil one has been entirely overlooked. Set the caption property of the fields in a few tables, set up some relationships, make some queries and build a form or two with the wizard. Change between the design and datasheet views of the tables and queries a couple of times.

Then try to modify the queries or forms using functions in derived fields or the control source of a textbox without getting confused. Table Level Lookups will appear comparatively benign.

Field captions are the programming equivalent of looking up at a stick while turning around, then droping the stick on the ground and jumping over it.

I tried one field caption property just once and immediately deleted it. Last weekend I worked in a database where they had been extensively used. You would swear you were going crazy. Well you would swear at least.

 

[mans123]

Excellent Information....! thanks all poster for sharing your useful views.

 

[copcop]

You people forgot a major one for managers:

"Thou shalt not hire a database manager without at least a 4 year degree in computer science or the equivalent."


You would not believe how common it is for a secretary to be doing database design. Not that secretaries are bad. But I don't want a brain surgeon fixing my car either.

I totally agree with bulrush's views. A right person at a right place can really create a difference.

 

[Rabbie]

You people forgot a major one for managers:

"Thou shalt not hire a database manager without at least a 4 year degree in computer science or the equivalent."


You would not believe how common it is for a secretary to be doing database design. Not that secretaries are bad. But I don't want a brain surgeon fixing my car either.

Disagree entirely. There are many good database managers without degrees who have learned their skills on the job and are much better than some people with degrees. The important thing is that the person understands what they are doing and not whether they have a degree.

 

[gemma-the-husky]

The most dasterdly work of the evil one has been entirely overlooked. Set the caption property of the fields in a few tables, set up some relationships, make some queries and build a form or two with the wizard. Change between the design and datasheet views of the tables and queries a couple of times.

Then try to modify the queries or forms using functions in derived fields or the control source of a textbox without getting confused. Table Level Lookups will appear comparatively benign.

Field captions are the programming equivalent of looking up at a stick while turning around, then droping the stick on the ground and jumping over it.

I tried one field caption property just once and immediately deleted it. Last weekend I worked in a database where they had been extensively used. You would swear you were going crazy. Well you would swear at least.

Captions are surely an abomination

I haven't examined all the facilities available in A2007, but are not these "features" continually being extended into other areas - did someone on here not comment about multi value fields (I havent looked to see what they do, but it doesnt sound realtional). I also dont like/see the point of the + sign in tables.

 

[Guus2005]

Re: The n Commandments of Access

Thou shalt listen to and obey and worship the AWF VIP's for their wisdom is beyond anything you've ever encountered on the complete internet and similar fora.

 

[milcasweet]

Hi.. I'm a newbie in this forum guys..;-)

 

[Alan22]

Disagree entirely. There are many good database managers without degrees who have learned their skills on the job and are much better than some people with degrees. The important thing is that the person understands what they are doing and not whether they have a degree.

.. X2 ..

Alan

 

[Lightwave]

I think a computer degree would be a posiitve but for individual tasks other experience may override it.

For example

I have been asked to design a fixed asset register for a housing company. It will be used to project manage planning applications on sites.

Their decision was influenced by the fact that I have worked in a planning office for 10 years and I have designed other similar systems which I could demonstrate to them.

 

[vagabond_drifter]

<3 10 commandments

 

[evilradish]

great post. Actually quite handy too for the new guy (points to himself)

 

[HaroldIII]

ok...started as 10 commandments....ended with 100 commandments....

 

[The John Rambo]

Thanks! I didnt know how much I still had to learn before reading this!

 

[Rabbie]

Thanks! I didnt know how much I still had to learn before reading this!

You'll find that the more you know the more you still need to know.

 

[kjyoung]

helpful thanks!