NO TIME FOR THIS

[GLEN]

DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A DATABASE PROGRAM THAT IS EASIER TO
USE/SET UP THAN ACCESS? MACROS, SQL SERVERS, ALL THIS
PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE I DONT UNDERSTAND IM RUNNING MY OWN
SMALL BUSINESS AND I NEED A CUSTOMIZABLE DATABASE. IVE
SHOPPED FOR CUSTOM SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND THE COST IS
IN THE $10,000 RANGE.. TOO STEEP FOR ME!I WAS TOLD THAT
FOR WHAT I WANT TO DO ACCESS WOULD BE A GOOD PROGRAM BUT
IT IS DEFINETLY NOT SIMPLE TO USE.MAYBE THERE IS SOFTWARE
OUT THERE TO HELP ME LEARN ACCESS?

 

[Graham R Seach]

Glen,

Just a tip. The use of UPPERCASE text in online communities is considered
SHOUTING.

When you acquire any new software package, there is a learning curve. The
only difference is that with a database product, regardless of whether it's
Access, SQL Server or anything else, you also have to learn about database
design. That may seem annoying, but that's just the fact of life. So if you
really do need a database, and cannot (or don't want to) afford to have a
system developed by someone who already knows these things (and you're not
in the minority here), then you must learn what you need to get the job
done.

In my opinion, Access is the best desktop database system in the world. The
later versions provide many tools to help novices, like yourself, to put
something together quite quickly. For example Macros (which automate many
processes), have been around since version 1.0.

I recommend you go down to your local bookstore and purchase a book or two
on Access. No offence intended, but perhaps one of the "Dummies" books may
suffice. Also, we are here to help you along the way; if you need to know
something, or are stuck on a problem, just ask and we'll help if we can.

Regards,
Graham R Seach
Microsoft Access MVP
Sydney, Australia

 

[Glen]

Graham,

Sorry I didnt mean to shout..shhh...
I have considered the "Dummies" books and will likely go
that route. Thank you for your response, and youll
probably hear me SHOUTING in the future here as my
learning curve of frustration dictates.
Thanks Again
Glen

 

[M.L. Sco Scofield]

In addition to what Graham said, cost is relative. I've spent 20 years with a variety of databases. If you were to have me program a
system that you can turn on without having to learn a programming language, you are going to pay for my years of experience just
like you would with a doctor or lawyer.

If you expect to pay a few hundred dollars for a programming environment like Access and do it yourself, expect to spend several
months of time learning to program.

Bottom line, you are going to pay a price. Whether it's *hard money* for someone else's time to write a program or *your time* to
first learn how to program and then to do it, the choice is yours.

The price has got to be paid...

--

Sco

M.L. "Sco" Scofield, MCSD, MCP, MSS, Access MVP, A+
Useful Metric Conversion #16 of 19: 2 monograms = 1 diagram
Miscellaneous Access and VB "stuff" at www.ScoBiz.com

 

[Grumpy Aero Guy]

ditto wrt to other posts.

Ya don't learn aerodynmaics (or anything else) by osmosis. Ya gotta get in
there and learn and hack.

BUT, it's not terribly difficult...it just takes a little dedication and
time on your part. I learned a lot of my access skills by reading and the
school of hard knocks.

I recommend Microsoft Press "Access Inside Out" by a gentleman (database
magician) named Viescas.

It's a great book, you won't need another one for some time, if ever.

You have HALF the battle already faught wrt learning access. You have a NEED
for a particular application with particular functionality. That's a heck of
a motivator.

.... not to mention the satisfaction once you start making progress. Hey,
sieze the moment, dive in..... IT'll be fun. PLUS, you can desing it and
make it EXACTLY the eay YOU want it. A complely customized app for YOU.

Enjoy!!!!

 

[John Nurick]

Hi Glen,

Supplementing what others have said: Access is a very powerful and
versatile relational database management system. Yes it seems complex by
the standards of word processors or spreadsheets, but compared with
other, equally powerful, database software it's probably the easiest to
learn.

There are database programs that are conceptually simpler and much
easier to get started with: for instance, there's FileMaker Pro, which
started as a Macintosh program and is therefore simple enough even for
Apple users<g>. FMP can easily do quite a lot of "simple" things for
which Access requires some knowledge and understanding; but when it
comes to modelling real-world business processes Access can do many
things that FMP can't get near. Also, Access is much better at
interoperation with other Office programs.

 

[Tony Toews]

There are database programs that are conceptually simpler and much
easier to get started with: for instance, there's FileMaker Pro, which
started as a Macintosh program and is therefore simple enough even for
Apple users<g>.

Hey, was that a crack like the MBA comment in the Fedex ad?

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm

 

[John Nurick]

Hey, was that a crack like the MBA comment in the Fedex ad?

Perish the thought!