Microsoft Access is Dead!

[Uncle Gizmo]

A question that pops up on the forum from time to time is is how long will Microsoft Access last as a product? I've asked myself the same question many times over the years and I've usually concluded that it will come to an end, and more likely sooner than later but I've always been proved wrong! There is an aspect to the question which I think is ignored or not realised.. It occurred to me because I just responded to a thread where someone was asking for some help connecting Microsoft access to a scanner. Now I've no idea if my help helped the person, but what I did notice was that within a few minutes I had an answer, I had all the VBA code! If I had to to set up a scanner to link to Microsoft Access, then I would be reasonably confident that I could do it in a reasonable amount of time.

Why?

There is a massive amount of data out there on on Microsoft Access VBA, and indeed Excel and Word and a few of the other Microsoft products. Anyone who wants to build something, a business processing tool could do no better than using MS Access, Word & Excel combined and functioning together with VBA code...

The answer to the question how long will Microsoft Access last, isn't so much about MS Access, but is about the ease of creating something with it. Everything you need is there, every question you want to ask has already been answered and addressed. And if you come up with a new problem which no one has an answer for, then there is a wealth of highly experienced individuals who offer their expertise for free in the many MS Access forums. I don't think there is any competition for that, there's nothing I can see out there that can compete with the ease of access to information on how to do something with Microsoft Access, and the genuine freely offered assistance...

Oh... Finally the title - that's Click Bait!

 

[jdraw]

Related topic that recently drew many comments.

 

[Steve R.]

Boy am I glad that you posted this first.

I was contemplating posting this story.
Microsoft Access: The Database Software That Won’t Die

I also had just posted this on the forum. Open Source Database Use. So I did not want to appear too negative concerning Access.

Times change. For me, I have moved on to Linux, where Access will not work. Instead I have moved to MariaDB an offshoot of MySQL. (That's one one of the "strange" things with Linux. Virtually every application has an offshoot. That is both good and bad.) Anyway, the ability to use a web-browser to interact with your data base is a really good thing.

As an additional thought. This forum does have a sub-forum Web Design and Development which could be much better utilized. I have underutilized this sub-forum myself. But it may be worth making this sub-forum more prominent considering what may be the slow demise of Access.

 

[deletedT]

It occurred to me because I just responded to a thread where someone was asking for some help connecting Microsoft access to a scanner. Now I've no idea if my help helped the person, but ....

Sorry for out of topic question. Can you post a link to the thread? My search doesn't bring it up.

thanks.

 

[jdraw]

Tera,

Tony seems to be offline.
I think this is the link/thread he was referencing.

 

[AccessBlaster]

Microsoft Access is Dead! Does it matter? Something will fill the vacuum, take Steve R. response. People and commerce will evolve to what comes next.

In my experience IT departments in general do not want these types of products running on their networks. IT does not support macro enabled products or automation for obvious reasons. And yes it is their networks, they purchased the EULA's sometimes by the 100's. They get to decide.

Without the support of big business and simple web access, its just a niche product unlike Excel.

I predict Excel will outlive Access, SharePoint and Outlook.

 

[Vassago]

I think for small businesses, which are becoming a staple yet again, Access will be a lifesaver. It's absolutely the best tool for managing inventory and accounts on a small scale. It's a single program that can handle both front-end and back-end management of customer and inventory data. For that reason, it won't die any time soon.

For large corporations, Access is more of a nuisance. I've found that when departments create Access to handle things that developers in the company won't or can't do, it becomes more troublesome to maintain long term. Most large corporations will move to a developed front end with SQL Server or some variation of it for storing data. It just works better.

Access won't die. It'll continue to be the best tool for smaller businesses.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

I predict Excel will outlive Access, SharePoint and Outlook.

A spreadsheet was the first application to make PCs an attractive purchase for business, particularly accountants. I would agree I cannot ever see spreadsheets going out of fashion.


The Wikipedia entry for spreadsheets describes early paper-based spreadsheets, but it doesn't describe the real reason accountants used spreadsheets. The real reason for spreadsheets, the paper-based ones, was that you could add up the columns and produce a sum at the bottom of each column. You could then add up the rows and produce a sum of each row. Now you add these column and row totals and the answer should be the same if there is a discrepancy it means there's an error in your figures...

I understand that (usually men) clerks, sat at a desk, rows and rows of desks, in an office, rather like a classroom, sat there adding up rows and columns of figures to balance the books. I've seen experienced people add up columns of figures in a matter of seconds they just run a pencil down the column and in their head add up the whole column... I can't remember them now, but there were/are loads of tricks to help check your addition, to know if your summation is correct.

Edit:-
I should have also mentioned that the reason accountants could afford to buy PCs and spreadsheet applications, (at the time they were very expensive!) was because they replaced all this manual addition work which was also very expensive. Spreadsheets offered a level of Speed, an increase productivity, and duplication. You could copy a spreadsheet just like you could a Word document. Computerised spreadsheet replaced the Clerks, and all these Clerk jobs!

 

[vba_php]

I was contemplating posting this story.
Microsoft Access: The Database Software That Won’t Die

That very story came through my news feed just a few days ago, but it was posted by CNBC I believe. I shared it with my father, who markets a very large healthcare application written in Access.

I agree that Access is popular with small businesses, but this whole cloud computing thing that has gained massive traction in recent years and seems to be a threat to local applications. But I don't believe cloud services are very cheap, so that might serve as a savior to Access.

I predict Excel will outlive Access, SharePoint and Outlook.

Excel is incredibly popular with almost everybody. I know plenty of large corporations that are still using it to analyze large data sets and for Business Intelligence development. And of course, I'm pretty sure nobody that's young likes VB or VBA, as OOP is the law of the land.

 

[Steve R.]

For large corporations, Access is more of a nuisance. I've found that when departments create Access to handle things that developers in the company won't or can't do, it becomes more troublesome to maintain long term. Most large corporations will move to a developed front end with SQL Server or some variation of it for storing data. It just works better.

Prior to retiring I attempted to work work with our corporate (actually government) IT department to move an Access database to Microsoft SQL Server. Basically, I was presented with an endless series of roadblocks. So it was never done. :banghead: Since retiring, it is my understanding that the Access database is now "dead" as the current staff has not bothered to learn how to use Access.

That leads me to a personal grip.

I predict Excel will outlive Access, SharePoint and Outlook.

Excel is incredibly popular with almost everybody. I know plenty of large corporations that are still using it to analyze large data sets and for Business Intelligence development.

Nothing against Excel. The problem is that people view Excel as the one solution for everything. So they don't really consider how to use a database solution such as Access or MariaDB. It is unfortunate that too many people go for the quick and easy "solution" without attempting to learn.

 

[vba_php]

It is unfortunate that too many people go for the quick and easy "solution" without attempting to learn.

well with regard to small business owners, can you really blame them? when every customer means so much to the bottom line? all the attention must be given to the customers as they never have any patience, so learning new technology takes a back seat, and excel requires almost no learning curve. you can start putting in data as soon as you open it!

 

[AccessBlaster]

That leads me to a personal grip.
Nothing against Excel. The problem is that people view Excel as the one solution for everything. So they don't really consider how to use a database solution such as Access or MariaDB. It is unfortunate that too many people go for the quick and easy "solution" without attempting to learn.

I agree Excel is not a solution for everything but, IMHO it is one of most versatile apps ever created. I suspect a super user of Excel uses maybe 10% of capability of this product.

 

[Steve R.]

well with regard to small business owners, can you really blame them? when every customer means so much to the bottom line? all the attention must be given to the customers as they never have any patience, so learning new technology takes a back seat, and excel requires almost no learning curve. you can start putting in data as soon as you open it! (emphasis added)

Ultimately - not evolving with emerging technology is a loosing strategy where you may end up out-of-business.

 

[vba_php]

I suspect a super user of Excel uses maybe 10% of capability of this product.

Have you ever used the financial analysis tool built into Excel? I've used it many times and it's got some powerful functions in it.

 

[AccessBlaster]

Have you ever used the financial analysis tool built into Excel? I've used it many times and it's got some powerful functions in it.

Can't say I have, that is my point. Most people use a fraction of what this app is capable.

 

[Vassago]

I use Excel and SQL Server daily for my corporate job. Excel is a great tool for delivering results, not just manipulating them. Access is certainly frowned upon here. I use it more for personal reasons than professional these days.