What's the verdict on Access 2003?

[David Hare-Scott]

From what I can glean from M$ propaganda the big thing for Access 2003
is XML. I cannot think right now why I would want to use XML with
Access unless I needed to exchange complex data remotely with foreign
platforms or systems - which I don't. I can see some of the reasons for
XML in other contexts but what is the value for Access?

Generally is Access 2003 a useful upgrade or is it just another
marketting ploy to get more $ from us for not much functionality?

Can anybody assist here either from their experience or by giving a
reference to any review that is factual and objective?

David

[Perlith]

XML is the main advantage I see with AC2k3. Given some time, I'm sure the
Microsoft Office System will soon easily be able to publish these pages to
the internet (which will provide a much more efficient/secure form of
replication IMHO). No more crazy front-end/back-end mess for developers, no
matter what the platform is.

Otherwise, I agree, actual features I haven't seen too many improvements in
and there are still lots of issues that haven't been resolved (or if the
have, the workarounds are so maniacal, its not worth it).

Just my $0.02.

--
Travis Cornwell
Computer Science Coop
REM Services Inc.
tw******@ncsu.e du
"David Hare-Scott" <pr*****@nowher e.com> wrote in message
news:GS******** *************@n ews-server.bigpond. net.au...

From what I can glean from M$ propaganda the big thing for Access 2003
is XML. I cannot think right now why I would want to use XML with
Access unless I needed to exchange complex data remotely with foreign
platforms or systems - which I don't. I can see some of the reasons for
XML in other contexts but what is the value for Access?

Generally is Access 2003 a useful upgrade or is it just another
marketting ploy to get more $ from us for not much functionality?

Can anybody assist here either from their experience or by giving a
reference to any review that is factual and objective?

David

[Larry Linson]

David,

I believe my presentation on A First Look at Access 2003 to the Metroplex
Access Developers user group is available for download from the MAD site,
http://www.madtx.org. As far as I can tell, it has avoided the
every-other-version-is-to-be-avoided syndrome, but unless you are a
corporate _enterprise_, there is little _compelling_ reason to upgrade from
Access 2002. If you develop for large enterprises, particularly if you
exchange data with XML-enabled applications to which you can't link, then
the upgrade will likely be attractive.

I have found it surprisingly stable and solid in the Beta 2 with Refresh
version.

The one thing I've complained to Microsoft about is the Help -- in an
attempt to make it better, they apparently did make some improvements to the
contents, but many have commented they do not like the new interface -- it
eliminated the "Index" option of finding what you want.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

"David Hare-Scott" <pr*****@nowher e.com> wrote in message
news:GS******** *************@n ews-server.bigpond. net.au...

From what I can glean from M$ propaganda the big thing for Access 2003
is XML. I cannot think right now why I would want to use XML with
Access unless I needed to exchange complex data remotely with foreign
platforms or systems - which I don't. I can see some of the reasons for
XML in other contexts but what is the value for Access?

Generally is Access 2003 a useful upgrade or is it just another
marketting ploy to get more $ from us for not much functionality?

Can anybody assist here either from their experience or by giving a
reference to any review that is factual and objective?

David

[Margo Spain]

"David Hare-Scott" <pr*****@nowher e.com> wrote in message
news:GS******** *************@n ews-server.bigpond. net.au...

From what I can glean from M$ propaganda the big thing for Access 2003
is XML. I cannot think right now why I would want to use XML with
Access unless I needed to exchange complex data remotely with foreign
platforms or systems - which I don't. I can see some of the reasons for
XML in other contexts but what is the value for Access?

Generally is Access 2003 a useful upgrade or is it just another
marketting ploy to get more $ from us for not much functionality?

Can anybody assist here either from their experience or by giving a
reference to any review that is factual and objective?

David

I believe the cost of upgrading to a 64-bit processor and a 64-bit OS is
prohibitive.

Margo

[David Hare-Scott]

"Margo Spain" <go*****@slyfox .net> wrote in message
news:84******** *************** *******@news.te ranews.com...

I believe the cost of upgrading to a 64-bit processor and a 64-bit OS is prohibitive.

Margo

Sorry I don't understand, what has that got to do with Access 2003?

David

[Deano]

Larry Linson wrote:

David,

I believe my presentation on A First Look at Access 2003 to the
Metroplex Access Developers user group is available for download from
the MAD site, http://www.madtx.org. As far as I can tell, it has
avoided the every-other-version-is-to-be-avoided syndrome, but unless
you are a corporate _enterprise_, there is little _compelling_ reason
to upgrade from Access 2002. If you develop for large enterprises,
particularly if you exchange data with XML-enabled applications to
which you can't link, then the upgrade will likely be attractive.

I have found it surprisingly stable and solid in the Beta 2 with
Refresh version.

The one thing I've complained to Microsoft about is the Help -- in an
attempt to make it better, they apparently did make some improvements
to the contents, but many have commented they do not like the new
interface -- it eliminated the "Index" option of finding what you
want.

Does it do coloured buttons and tabs now? :)
(Seriously!)

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.532 / Virus Database: 326 - Release Date: 27/10/2003

[SA]

Colored text but no colored buttons still uses the system colors.
--
Steve Arbaugh
ACG Soft
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/attac-cg

"Deano" <ma************ @hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:dD******** **********@ward s.force9.net...

Larry Linson wrote:

David,

I believe my presentation on A First Look at Access 2003 to the
Metroplex Access Developers user group is available for download from
the MAD site, http://www.madtx.org. As far as I can tell, it has
avoided the every-other-version-is-to-be-avoided syndrome, but unless
you are a corporate _enterprise_, there is little _compelling_ reason
to upgrade from Access 2002. If you develop for large enterprises,
particularly if you exchange data with XML-enabled applications to
which you can't link, then the upgrade will likely be attractive.

I have found it surprisingly stable and solid in the Beta 2 with
Refresh version.

The one thing I've complained to Microsoft about is the Help -- in an
attempt to make it better, they apparently did make some improvements
to the contents, but many have commented they do not like the new
interface -- it eliminated the "Index" option of finding what you
want.

Does it do coloured buttons and tabs now? :)
(Seriously!)

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.532 / Virus Database: 326 - Release Date: 27/10/2003

[XMVP]

"Margo Spain" <go*****@slyfox .net> wrote in message >

I believe the cost of upgrading to a 64-bit processor and a 64-bit OS is
prohibitive.

Margo

That's about an 8.9 on the Kaplan-Meyer Moron Index. You're almost ready to
become an MVP.

[XMVP]

"Larry Linson" <bo*****@localh ost.not> wrote in message
news:Ou******** **********@nwrd dc01.gnilink.ne t...

David,

I believe my presentation on A First Look at Access 2003 to the Metroplex
Access Developers user group is available for download from the MAD site,
http://www.madtx.org. As far as I can tell, it has avoided the
every-other-version-is-to-be-avoided syndrome, but unless you are a
corporate _enterprise_, there is little _compelling_ reason to upgrade from Access 2002. If you develop for large enterprises, particularly if you
exchange data with XML-enabled applications to which you can't link, then
the upgrade will likely be attractive.

I have found it surprisingly stable and solid in the Beta 2 with Refresh
version.

The one thing I've complained to Microsoft about is the Help -- in an
attempt to make it better, they apparently did make some improvements to the contents, but many have commented they do not like the new interface -- it
eliminated the "Index" option of finding what you want.

Pure gas. Who do you think you're kidding?.

[Larry Linson]

"XMVP" <ac***********@ hotmail.com> wrote

Pure gas. Who do you think
you're kidding?

Darn chili beans.