Strawman: Is MS Access a "database"? - Microsoft Access / VBA

(Pete Cresswell)

I would argue that it is not.

JET is a desktop DB engine.
Sybase is a database
Oracle is a database
DB2 is a database.

VB 6 is a front-end development tool.
PowerBuilder is a front-end development tool.
MS Access is a front end devlopment tool.

---------------------------------------
What's got me going on this is that I keep hearing statements like "What!
you're running a mission-critical application out of an Access database?"
Or the latest, to the effect of, "Well, sure the app has been working a-ok for
the past five years, but would you want people reading in the Wall Street
Journal that your client is managing 65 billion dollars worth of mutual funds
with an Access database?".

Well, "No", and "No". The back end is Sybase. The FRONT end is MS Access and
there is no such thing as an MS Access database.

Am I off-base in saying to myself when I hear some self-styled IT expert talk
about "Access databases" that that guy doesn't know what he's talking about?

Or is it me?
----------------------------------------
--
PeteCresswell

Nov 12 '05 #1

Subscribe Reply

2308

Rick Brandt

"(Pete Cresswell)" <x@y.z> wrote in message
news:nu******** *************** *********@4ax.c om...

I would argue that it is not.

JET is a desktop DB engine.
Sybase is a database
Oracle is a database
DB2 is a database.

VB 6 is a front-end development tool.
PowerBuilder is a front-end development tool.
MS Access is a front end devlopment tool.

---------------------------------------
What's got me going on this is that I keep hearing statements like "What!
you're running a mission-critical application out of an Access database?"
Or the latest, to the effect of, "Well, sure the app has been working a-ok for the past five years, but would you want people reading in the Wall Street
Journal that your client is managing 65 billion dollars worth of mutual funds
with an Access database?".

Well, "No", and "No". The back end is Sybase. The FRONT end is MS Access and there is no such thing as an MS Access database.

Am I off-base in saying to myself when I hear some self-styled IT expert talk
about "Access databases" that that guy doesn't know what he's talking about?

Or is it me?
----------------------------------------

The line is blurry because a "Jet database" resides in what just about everyone
would describe as an "Access File". I say that because in general terms when
one asks "what kind of file is that?", what they mean is "what program would I
use to open it?". While you can create an MDB without Access and use one
without Access, you pretty much need Access if you want to open it and poke
around (and I don't mean programmaticall y).

If MS had from day one set Access up to be an "always split" model with
different file extensions for the front end and Jet file then I think this would
have fostered a different perception. Frankly I don't worry about it too much.
I do stuff in Access, Java, Delphi, etc., and when people ask me about a project
I ask them "You want that in a month or do you want me to use Access?"

--
I don't check the Email account attached
to this message. Send instead to...
RBrandt at Hunter dot com

Nov 12 '05 #2

Mike MacSween

Of course it's not. Neither are any of the other products you mention.

"(Pete Cresswell)" <x@y.z> wrote in message
news:nu******** *************** *********@4ax.c om...

I would argue that it is not.

JET is a desktop DB engine.
Sybase is a database
Oracle is a database
DB2 is a database.

VB 6 is a front-end development tool.
PowerBuilder is a front-end development tool.
MS Access is a front end devlopment tool.

---------------------------------------
What's got me going on this is that I keep hearing statements like "What!
you're running a mission-critical application out of an Access database?"
Or the latest, to the effect of, "Well, sure the app has been working a-ok for the past five years, but would you want people reading in the Wall Street
Journal that your client is managing 65 billion dollars worth of mutual funds with an Access database?".

Well, "No", and "No". The back end is Sybase. The FRONT end is MS Access and there is no such thing as an MS Access database.

Am I off-base in saying to myself when I hear some self-styled IT expert talk about "Access databases" that that guy doesn't know what he's talking about?
Or is it me?
----------------------------------------
--
PeteCresswell

Nov 12 '05 #3

Trevor Best

Mike MacSween wrote:

Of course it's not. Neither are any of the other products you mention.

DBMS yes, the files they create are databases :-)

Then there's the question, is an MDB file a database? No, it's a file
that contains a database among other objects.

--
But why is the Rum gone?

Nov 12 '05 #4

david epsom dot com dot au

In the Access development world, we tend to make a distinction
between ACCESS (RAD tool) and JET (database engine).

However, the ODBC driver for the Jet Database Engine is
called "Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)", so there is a
legitimacy to that naming convention as well.

(david)
PS: I sometimes try to explain to people that JET is a /Distributed/
database engine: part of the database engine is the File Subsystem
and network redirector. Calling it a 'desktop' DB engine is a nice
phrase for users, but it doesn't help developers understand the nature
of the technology they are using.

"(Pete Cresswell)" <x@y.z> wrote in message
news:nu******** *************** *********@4ax.c om...

I would argue that it is not.

JET is a desktop DB engine.
Sybase is a database
Oracle is a database
DB2 is a database.

VB 6 is a front-end development tool.
PowerBuilder is a front-end development tool.
MS Access is a front end devlopment tool.

---------------------------------------
What's got me going on this is that I keep hearing statements like "What!
you're running a mission-critical application out of an Access database?"
Or the latest, to the effect of, "Well, sure the app has been working a-ok for the past five years, but would you want people reading in the Wall Street
Journal that your client is managing 65 billion dollars worth of mutual funds with an Access database?".

Well, "No", and "No". The back end is Sybase. The FRONT end is MS Access and there is no such thing as an MS Access database.

Am I off-base in saying to myself when I hear some self-styled IT expert talk about "Access databases" that that guy doesn't know what he's talking about?
Or is it me?
----------------------------------------
--
PeteCresswell

Nov 12 '05 #5

Similar topics

1388

Path to a "personal knowledge database"

by: Yasso | last post by:

Greetings, I have to admit that I'm still a beginner in the database field, but I'm actively studying, and this is why I will be utterly grateful for the proper, accurate, and wise guidance to the right direction or specific paths of database studies. I simply want to make my first major database project a "personal knowledge database" or a "personal encyclopedia", so to speak. By this I mean that I want to gather diverse,...

Microsoft Access / VBA

256

Strawman: Is MS Access a "database"?

by: (Pete Cresswell) | last post by:

Microsoft Access / VBA

3478

Problem connecting to Access Database - "already opened exclusively by another user"

by: Tom Wild | last post by:

Hi I am trying to create a webform that connects to an Access database. If I use the connection string: "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=C:\Gizmo\Gizmo.mdb" Then the application connects to the database and downloads data fine but when I try to fire an Update command I get the following error: "Problem firing System.Data.OleDb.OleDbCommand - Operation must use an updateable query"

ASP.NET

2033

Wanted: Simple VB.NET "WEB" Application with an Access Database

by: samadams_2006 | last post by:

I'm trying to get a simple VB.NET "Web Application" (not a regular application) to work with an Access Database. Seems simple enough, but I cannot seem to get it working. If anyone has a simple example that they can send me it would be very much appreciated. Drop me an email at: samadams_2006@yahoo.ca Thanks...

Visual Basic .NET

7913

Ms Access database error."Could not update.Currently Locked"

by: amindi | last post by:

Hi, I wrote a VB6 program to read some data records from a Ms Access database and to write them into a SQL server database.(I use Ms Access 2000 and SQL server 2000).After reading each record in Access database, I update a text type datafield of that record in Access database to 'Y' (to mark the perticular record as a copied record)(The program does the updation). I tested the program several times by using a seperate copy of the same database...

Microsoft Access / VBA

2363

"Code Signing Certificate" with "split database"

by: elgin | last post by:

I have a split Access 2003 database. I have signed the database with a Code Signing Certificate from Small Business Server. This works fine and users can have Access macro security on high or medium and do not get prompted at startup. The problem comes because there are two of us modifying the code. Whenever either one of us changes the code, one of us must resign both the front and back end of the database. If we forget to sign both, we...

Microsoft Access / VBA

4130

Shared access database "Object Invalid or No Longer Set"

by: FelixSmith | last post by:

I have recently posted a new access database and its oracle tables onto a shared folder for various users. It is a search database and me and a few other users are able to pull from the file and use it perfectly. But, when other users pull from the shared folder they suffer from dragging performance and then the fields within the forms error to "#Name?" and an "Object Invalid or No Longer Set" error button comes up. Seeing as though we...

Microsoft Access / VBA

1906

SQL Server "Linked Server" to MS Access Database

by: Chuck.Dieterle | last post by:

I have a very frustrating problem. I have a situation that works fine on some computers, but not on others. I have SQL Server Express 2005 and Access 2003 loaded on 4 computers. I have set up a "Linked Server" in SQL Server linked to my Access database. I am running queries on t-SQL against the Access tables through the linked server. On all of the computers, I can do select queries and they all work great but what I need to do is run...

Microsoft Access / VBA

2357

Controlling the sort order for records retrieved from an Access database

by: Brit | last post by:

I have an ASP file that retrieves names from an Access database for 4 different categories of membership, which the visitor to the page selects (corporate, institutional, regular, or student). The DNS name is "cati", the names are specified in the "Last_names" field, and the categories are in the "categories" field. l want the results sorted in alphabetic order by last name. However, the results appear to be in a totally random,...

ASP / Active Server Pages

8349

What is ONU?

by: marktang | last post by:

ONU (Optical Network Unit) is one of the key components for providing high-speed Internet services. Its primary function is to act as an endpoint device located at the user's premises. However, people are often confused as to whether an ONU can Work As a Router. In this blog post, we’ll explore What is ONU, What Is Router, ONU & Router’s main usage, and What is the difference between ONU and Router. Let’s take a closer look ! Part I. Meaning of...

General

8275

Changing the language in Windows 10

by: Hystou | last post by:

Most computers default to English, but sometimes we require a different language, especially when relocating. Forgot to request a specific language before your computer shipped? No problem! You can effortlessly switch the default language on Windows 10 without reinstalling. I'll walk you through it. First, let's disable language synchronization. With a Microsoft account, language settings sync across devices. To prevent any complications,...

Windows Server

8695

Maximizing Business Potential: The Nexus of Website Design and Digital Marketing

by: jinu1996 | last post by:

In today's digital age, having a compelling online presence is paramount for businesses aiming to thrive in a competitive landscape. At the heart of this digital strategy lies an intricately woven tapestry of website design and digital marketing. It's not merely about having a website; it's about crafting an immersive digital experience that captivates audiences and drives business growth. The Art of Business Website Design Your website is...

Online Marketing

8460

The easy way to turn off automatic updates for Windows 10/11

by: Hystou | last post by:

Overview: Windows 11 and 10 have less user interface control over operating system update behaviour than previous versions of Windows. In Windows 11 and 10, there is no way to turn off the Windows Update option using the Control Panel or Settings app; it automatically checks for updates and installs any it finds, whether you like it or not. For most users, this new feature is actually very convenient. If you want to control the update process,...

Windows Server

4143

Trying to create a lan-to-lan vpn between two differents networks

by: TSSRALBI | last post by:

Hello I'm a network technician in training and I need your help. I am currently learning how to create and manage the different types of VPNs and I have a question about LAN-to-LAN VPNs. The last exercise I practiced was to create a LAN-to-LAN VPN between two Pfsense firewalls, by using IPSEC protocols. I succeeded, with both firewalls in the same network. But I'm wondering if it's possible to do the same thing, with 2 Pfsense firewalls...

Networking - Hardware / Configuration

4281

Windows Forms - .Net 8.0

by: adsilva | last post by:

A Windows Forms form does not have the event Unload, like VB6. What one acts like?

Visual Basic .NET

2696

transfer the data from one system to another through ip address

by: 6302768590 | last post by:

Hai team i want code for transfer the data from one system to another through IP address by using C# our system has to for every 5mins then we have to update the data what the data is updated we have to send another system

C# / C Sharp

1906

How to add payments to a PHP MySQL app.

by: muto222 | last post by:

How can i add a mobile payment intergratation into php mysql website.

PHP

1585

Comprehensive Guide to Website Development in Toronto: Expert Insights from BSMN Consultancy

by: bsmnconsultancy | last post by:

In today's digital era, a well-designed website is crucial for businesses looking to succeed. Whether you're a small business owner or a large corporation in Toronto, having a strong online presence can significantly impact your brand's success. BSMN Consultancy, a leader in Website Development in Toronto offers valuable insights into creating effective websites that not only look great but also perform exceptionally well. In this comprehensive...

General