Is Microsoft phasing out Access?

[Lauren Wilson]

Hello folks,

Would love yo get all informed opinions and/or facts on the following:

Over the last few weeks I have spent quite a bit of time reviewing all
the Access and .NET stuff I could find on Microsoft.com. It's seems
harder and harder to find much of anything about Access as a primary
development platform. I am getting the uneasy feeling that Microsoft
is slowly phasing out Access.

Am I incorrect about this? Does anyone have a link to a clear
statement of intent from Microsoft on the role they have planned for
Access and VBA in the future?

[Lyle Fairfield]

VRWC2 wrote:

It's pretty easy to find the stuff though. Just
type "Rowanda" into Google and start reading.

You can find the weapons of mass destruction in the same place, I suppose?

--
--
Lyle

[Lyle Fairfield]

VRWC2 wrote:

You're just riddled with fear aren't you. Good thing we don't depend
on folks like you to keep us free. It MIGHT not be a good thing that
we have other folks who face their fear on principle so that fearful
ones like you have a chance to be free and spread your fear to others.

I am brave enough to post over my own name.

--
--
Lyle Fairfield

[Mike MacSween]

"VRWC2" <no****@private.com> wrote in message
news:fn********************************@4ax.com...

I can but it would take time to dig them up from my backups. Time is
the most precious commodity in the universe. I've changed computers
twice since then. It's pretty easy to find the stuff though. Just
type "Rowanda" into Google and start reading.

By the way, it's called Rwanda.

And you're talking rubbish, and you know you are.

[VRWC2]

On Sun, 15 May 2005 08:38:37 +0100, "Mike MacSween"
<mi***************************@btinternet.com> wrote:

"VRWC2" <no****@private.com> wrote in message
news:fn********************************@4ax.com.. .

I can but it would take time to dig them up from my backups. Time is
the most precious commodity in the universe. I've changed computers
twice since then. It's pretty easy to find the stuff though. Just
type "Rowanda" into Google and start reading.

By the way, it's called Rwanda.

And you're talking rubbish, and you know you are.

Sorry for the misspelled word. However, "rubbish"? Any defense for
that assertion?

[VRWC2]

On Sat, 14 May 2005 22:18:28 -0400, Lyle Fairfield <ly******@yahoo.ca>
wrote:

VRWC2 wrote:

You're just riddled with fear aren't you. Good thing we don't depend
on folks like you to keep us free. It MIGHT not be a good thing that
we have other folks who face their fear on principle so that fearful
ones like you have a chance to be free and spread your fear to others.

I am brave enough to post over my own name.

And for that, and everything else you have, you can thank a soldier.

[Sequoia via AccessMonster.com]

As a (mostly) non-programmer (the last time I did semi-serious coding was
using PerfectScript in WP8.0, mostly self-taught, lots of trial & even more
error), I use Access for what I believe is the reason the vast majority of
non-programmers use it:

.... Because it is there ... Access (or as I usally call, M$ *&^%$#ing Exce$
$) comes "free" with Office Professional, which is standard issue on many
corporate owned computers these days. Since it is the only actaul Database
program on many computers, and companies are often unwilling to spend $$ on
a more user-friendly product (I was rather fond of dBaseIV), when the
bloated M$ Excel spreadsheet that someone passes on to you becomes
completly unweildy, you fumble around with the tools that are available to
you ...

even if it often feels like trying to use an entire machine shop to drill a
simple hole 'cuz you don't have a cordless drill available.

I do appreciate the fact that folks "hang out" at forums such as this and
give of their time and expertise to help us rank (and oft-times unwilling)
amateurs try to get Exce$$ do what we need it to do.

Thanks for listening.

- Sequoia

--
Message posted via http://www.accessmonster.com

[Mike MacSween]

"VRWC2" <no****@private.com> wrote in message
news:p0********************************@4ax.com...

On Sun, 15 May 2005 08:38:37 +0100, "Mike MacSween"
<mi***************************@btinternet.com> wrote:

"VRWC2" <no****@private.com> wrote in message
news:fn********************************@4ax.com. ..

I can but it would take time to dig them up from my backups. Time is
the most precious commodity in the universe. I've changed computers
twice since then. It's pretty easy to find the stuff though. Just
type "Rowanda" into Google and start reading.

By the way, it's called Rwanda.

And you're talking rubbish, and you know you are.

Sorry for the misspelled word. However, "rubbish"? Any defense for
that assertion?

The things you say and the way you say them.

[Tim Marshall]

Sequoia via AccessMonster.com wrote:

Since it is the only actaul Database
program on many computers, and companies are often unwilling to spend $$ on
a more user-friendly product (I was rather fond of dBaseIV), when the
bloated M$ Excel spreadsheet that someone passes on to you becomes
completly unweildy, you fumble around with the tools that are available to
you ...

As a former dot prompt dBIII+ and dBIV developer, I can assure you
Access 2.0 was a much, much better product. The fact that you are
confusing functionality of a database product with a spreadsheet does
indeed point to your self-description as a non-programmer.
--
Tim http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~tmarshal/
^o<
/#) "Burp-beep, burp-beep, burp-beep?" - Quaker Jake
/^^ "Whatcha doin?" - Ditto "TIM-MAY!!" - Me

[Tim Marshall]

VRWC2 wrote:

I am brave enough to post over my own name.

And for that, and everything else you have, you can thank a soldier.

This former soldier would thank you very much to take this off-topic
trash elsewhere. It has nothing whatsoever to do with Access
development, thank you very much.
--
Tim Marshall
The Royal Canadian Dragoons

[Sequoia via AccessMonster.com]

It is not that I confuse the (best or ideal) functionality of a spreadsheet
vs. a database. It is just that many projects start out as a simple list
easily (if not competently) maintained in a spreadsheet, and then grow to
require something more capable, and then, as I said, Access is "there",
right on the same computer with Excel and many of us non-programmers have
to just dive in and try to make it work.

Doesn't mean we enjoy it any more than we enjoy repeatedly slamming our
heads into a rough-textured concrete block wall, but we have to use the
tools available.

Peace,

- Sequoia

--
Message posted via http://www.accessmonster.com

[Lauren Wilson]

On Tue, 17 May 2005 18:39:43 GMT, "Sequoia via AccessMonster.com"
<fo***@AccessMonster.com> wrote:

As a (mostly) non-programmer (the last time I did semi-serious coding was
using PerfectScript in WP8.0, mostly self-taught, lots of trial & even more
error), I use Access for what I believe is the reason the vast majority of
non-programmers use it:

... Because it is there ... Access (or as I usally call, M$ *&^%$#ing Exce$
$) comes "free" with Office Professional, which is standard issue on many
corporate owned computers these days. Since it is the only actaul Database
program on many computers, and companies are often unwilling to spend $$ on
a more user-friendly product (I was rather fond of dBaseIV), when the
bloated M$ Excel spreadsheet that someone passes on to you becomes
completly unweildy, you fumble around with the tools that are available to
you ...
It's pretty hard to get more "user friendly" than Access unless you
are a rank amateur doing only flat file database forms. There are
many major corporations in the world using Access based apps to
generate millions of dollars in revenue. I know of two in my area
alone. Access is where it is because it is one of the best on earth
-- as is Microsoft.

even if it often feels like trying to use an entire machine shop to drill a
simple hole 'cuz you don't have a cordless drill available.
Then you're using a nuclear bomb to kill a flee. Get the proper tools
for simple stuff.
I do appreciate the fact that folks "hang out" at forums such as this and
give of their time and expertise to help us rank (and oft-times unwilling)
amateurs try to get Exce$$ do what we need it to do.

Thanks for listening.

- Sequoia

[Lauren Wilson]

On Wed, 18 May 2005 19:21:09 GMT, "Sequoia via AccessMonster.com"
<fo***@AccessMonster.com> wrote:

It is not that I confuse the (best or ideal) functionality of a spreadsheet
vs. a database. It is just that many projects start out as a simple list
easily (if not competently) maintained in a spreadsheet, and then grow to
require something more capable, and then, as I said, Access is "there",
right on the same computer with Excel and many of us non-programmers have
to just dive in and try to make it work.
Start working for a company that is sophisticated enough to know they
need proper DB development expertise.

Doesn't mean we enjoy it any more than we enjoy repeatedly slamming our
heads into a rough-textured concrete block wall, but we have to use the
tools available.

Peace,

- Sequoia

[paulwilliamsonremove]

On Fri, 13 May 2005 11:00:41 -0400, "Steven Zuch" <st***@nospam.net>
wrote:

So true ... The so called phase out of FoxPro is a joke. They just released
a new version with extensive work done on its report writer. It really is a
nice data centric developer's tool, with a lighting fast local database
engine, OOP programming language, excellent connectivity to SQL Server. It
also can be used in certain middleware application.
Looking forward to using it! I like Access too guys, especially for
desktop apps.


They are not going to make it .Net, even though they are trying to get
Foxpro users to work with .Net.

The current version will be supported for 10 more years, given the 10 year
life cycle with development tools.

Regarding Access, Access/VBA will have a long support life. The issue is
that as VB.Net becomes the corporate standard for implementing applications
built on the Office platform, corporations may stop installing VBA with
Office. In this situation, Access/VBA will not work. Microsoft may release
an Access without VBA (e.g. more of an end-user tool), which can be
automated with VB.Net.

Of course, this is all speculation.

Steven R. Zuch, CPA
Cogent Management Inc.
<pa******************@removespamcop.net> wrote in message
news:23********************************@4ax.com.. .

On Sun, 08 May 2005 00:04:19 -0500, Lauren Wilson <no****@private.com>
wrote:

Hello folks,

Would love yo get all informed opinions and/or facts on the following:

Over the last few weeks I have spent quite a bit of time reviewing all
the Access and .NET stuff I could find on Microsoft.com. It's seems
harder and harder to find much of anything about Access as a primary
development platform. I am getting the uneasy feeling that Microsoft
is slowly phasing out Access.

Am I incorrect about this? Does anyone have a link to a clear
statement of intent from Microsoft on the role they have planned for
Access and VBA in the future?

Not that I know of, but MS started phasing out FoxPro five versions
ago (about 10 years ago?)!
-pw

use paulwilliamson at spamcop dot net for e-mail

-pw

use paulwilliamson at spamcop dot net for e-mail

[Bob Alston]

pa******************@removespamcop.net wrote:

On Fri, 13 May 2005 11:00:41 -0400, "Steven Zuch" <st***@nospam.net>
wrote:

So true ... The so called phase out of FoxPro is a joke. They just released
a new version with extensive work done on its report writer. It really is a
nice data centric developer's tool, with a lighting fast local database
engine, OOP programming language, excellent connectivity to SQL Server. It
also can be used in certain middleware application.

Looking forward to using it! I like Access too guys, especially for
desktop apps.

They are not going to make it .Net, even though they are trying to get
Foxpro users to work with .Net.

The current version will be supported for 10 more years, given the 10 year
life cycle with development tools.

Regarding Access, Access/VBA will have a long support life. The issue is
that as VB.Net becomes the corporate standard for implementing applications
built on the Office platform, corporations may stop installing VBA with
Office. In this situation, Access/VBA will not work. Microsoft may release
an Access without VBA (e.g. more of an end-user tool), which can be
automated with VB.Net.

Of course, this is all speculation.

Steven R. Zuch, CPA
Cogent Management Inc.
<pa******************@removespamcop.net> wrote in message
news:23********************************@4ax.com. ..

On Sun, 08 May 2005 00:04:19 -0500, Lauren Wilson <no****@private.com>
wrote:
Hello folks,

Would love yo get all informed opinions and/or facts on the following:

Over the last few weeks I have spent quite a bit of time reviewing all
the Access and .NET stuff I could find on Microsoft.com. It's seems
harder and harder to find much of anything about Access as a primary
development platform. I am getting the uneasy feeling that Microsoft
is slowly phasing out Access.

Am I incorrect about this? Does anyone have a link to a clear
statement of intent from Microsoft on the role they have planned for
Access and VBA in the future?

Not that I know of, but MS started phasing out FoxPro five versions
ago (about 10 years ago?)!
-pw

use paulwilliamson at spamcop dot net for e-mail

-pw

use paulwilliamson at spamcop dot net for e-mail

And FoxPro has a new capability for web-enabling their apps. A built-in
web server. Far easier to use than Access data access pages I might add.

Bob

[Access Resource]

Lauren,

I saw in a recent response/post from you that you have been looking for a
calendar report. Leave your email and I will send you a screenshot of what I
have.

Access Resource
"Lauren Wilson" <no****@private.com> wrote in message
news:u7********************************@4ax.com...

On Sun, 8 May 2005 16:47:59 +0800, "Allen Browne"
<Al*********@SeeSig.Invalid> wrote:

No. They are not phasing out Access.

This article from the Jan '05 edition of Access Advisor includes an
interview with people inside Microsoft regarding the next version:
http://msaccessadvisor.com/doc/14978

Thanks Allen. This is encouraging. I'm still confused about how
Access fits into the .NET framework (assuming it does somehow). Any
pointers to articles on that?

BTW -- love your site.

[Lyle Fairfield]

"Access Resource" <ac************@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
news:Ai****************@newsread2.news.atl.earthli nk.net:

Lauren,

I saw in a recent response/post from you that you have been looking for
a calendar report. Leave your email and I will send you a screenshot of
what I have.

Access Resource

I am in favour of healing and reconciliation.

--
Lyle

To subject an enemy belligerent to an unfair trial, to charge him with an
unrecognized crime, or to vent on him our retributive emotions only
antagonizes the enemy nation and hinders the reconciliation necessary to a
peaceful world.

Justice Frank Murphy
Yamashita v. Styer, 327 U.S. 1 (1946)

[rkc]

Lyle Fairfield wrote:

"Access Resource" <ac************@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
news:Ai****************@newsread2.news.atl.earthli nk.net:

Lauren,

I saw in a recent response/post from you that you have been looking for
a calendar report. Leave your email and I will send you a screenshot of
what I have.

Access Resource

I am in favour of healing and reconciliation.

Think Arno is?

[Arno R]

"rkc" <rk*@rochester.yabba.dabba.do.rr.bomb> schreef in bericht news:8I*****************@twister.nyroc.rr.com...

Lyle Fairfield wrote:

"Access Resource" <ac************@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
news:Ai****************@newsread2.news.atl.earthli nk.net:

Lauren,

I saw in a recent response/post from you that you have been looking for
a calendar report. Leave your email and I will send you a screenshot of
what I have.

Access Resource

I am in favour of healing and reconciliation.

Think Arno is?

Think Steve is ?

Arno R

[rkc]

Arno R wrote:

"rkc" <rk*@rochester.yabba.dabba.do.rr.bomb> schreef in bericht news:8I*****************@twister.nyroc.rr.com...

Lyle Fairfield wrote:

"Access Resource" <ac************@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
news:Ai****************@newsread2.news.atl.eart hlink.net:

Lauren,

I saw in a recent response/post from you that you have been looking for
a calendar report. Leave your email and I will send you a screenshot of
what I have.

Access Resource
I am in favour of healing and reconciliation.

Think Arno is?

Think Steve is ?

Nope.

[C JM]

I'm a computer literate but not super-techie legal assistant with a
small group of 3-4 attorneys at an import-export company in New York. We
currently use an ancient legal program, Chief Legal Officer v 1.5 (circa
1995), that works on Access 2.0. The update price for CLO is geared to
large law-firms and too expensive for our company to justify if I'm the
only one using it.

Am currently researching what it would cost to have a tech guru
re-create the Chief Legal Officer program (without data loss) in Access
2003. Since Microsoft is likely to keep updating Access for years to
come, that gives us some guarantee of future flexibility in the program.
Anybody interested in sending me their credentials and talking about an
estimate?

Carolina Jimenez-Marcos

Jimenez-Marcos.Carolina [at] sky.sojitz.com

*** Sent via Developersdex http://www.developersdex.com ***

[Steven Zuch]

I can't believe it would be cheaper to clone a program than upgrade it,
unless you the program objects are not protected, and all you are doing is
converting them to a new version of Access. But, in that case, you are most
likely violating licensing agreement/copyrights, and I assume the law firm
wants to be legal.

Steven

"C JM" <cj****@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:_d***************@news.uswest.net...

I'm a computer literate but not super-techie legal assistant with a
small group of 3-4 attorneys at an import-export company in New York. We
currently use an ancient legal program, Chief Legal Officer v 1.5 (circa
1995), that works on Access 2.0. The update price for CLO is geared to
large law-firms and too expensive for our company to justify if I'm the
only one using it.

Am currently researching what it would cost to have a tech guru
re-create the Chief Legal Officer program (without data loss) in Access
2003. Since Microsoft is likely to keep updating Access for years to
come, that gives us some guarantee of future flexibility in the program.
Anybody interested in sending me their credentials and talking about an
estimate?

Carolina Jimenez-Marcos

Jimenez-Marcos.Carolina [at] sky.sojitz.com

*** Sent via Developersdex http://www.developersdex.com ***

[David W. Fenton]

"Steven Zuch" <st***@nospam.net> wrote in
news:l_*******************@fe11.lga:

I can't believe it would be cheaper to clone a program than
upgrade it, unless you the program objects are not protected, and
all you are doing is converting them to a new version of Access.
But, in that case, you are most likely violating licensing
agreement/copyrights, and I assume the law firm wants to be legal.

It all depends on a number of factors:

1. how well the original program actually fits the client's needs --
if it's not a great fit, it could be worth the money to invest it in
custom development to produce something better tailored to actual
needs.

2. how much the conversion and ongoing licensing charges are. I know
of some custom programs that charge $1K, $2K, $5K per year for
licensing fees. Over time, that's a substantial chunk of change, and
it's on top of the original purchase price, which is itself often
$5-10K with those types of applications. From where I sit, it looks
to me like once you are in that kind of range and looking at 5 years
of licensing fees, you've got a pretty good budget for some custom
development.

If the commercial app is actual a superset of what the client needs,
then they don't have to redevelop the whole thing, just the parts
they need.

I'm not saying I'd necessarily recommend this. There are plenty of
good reasons for staying with a widely used though expensive
industry standard app. But that doesn't mean there aren't valid
reasons to do custom development instead.

--
David W. Fenton http://www.bway.net/~dfenton
dfenton at bway dot net http://www.bway.net/~dfassoc