Andy Sjostrom

Ploobers

Andy Sjostrom

lapchinj

This is true and with the development that we've been doing lately at my place we have completely given up on Access 2 years ago and is only concentrating on SQL Server (all flavors). But I still think that Access will be around for a couple of years. Look at the dbf file format, it probably has about as many lines of code written to it as COBOL on a mainframe. And look how many consultants make their living using the technology.

Access was created to revolutionize desktop database when MS claimed that the dbf file format was ancient technology. I think that flopped but we still see a lot of our remote sites still using both (more often dbf). These are profitable smaller companies that we gobbled up that are bringing in the bucks using what MS calls "ancient technology". I guess that's really the bottom line. Create a profitable business using "ancient technology" and sell yourself to a larger company who will rewrite and re-host your business with newer technology - of course to enhance bottom line of the buyer.

I'm not saying that Access will enjoy the same kind of longevity as dbf but I'm sure it will take a while to get out of the system. It's cheap, easy to use and maintenance free which makes it a great database for a small company working on a tiny budget - but as a database it just doesn't scale. I really think that as Access fades away the dbf will pick up most of the slack not SQL Server.

Jeff-

jimski

lapchinj

Yeah. Like I mentioned all the companies the place I work for either used dbf or access (mostly dbf). They all had the same thing in common - they were all very, very profitable (that's why we bought them). A place like yours would probably go over to SQL if they were pushed to make a change but I think that most smaller places that would go away from Access (bacause MS pushed too much) would go over to dbf. There is a huge community around dbf. But alas, look how hard MS is trying to kill older technologies dbf, Access and even VFP (although I think I got a VFP Beta9 with my MSDN subscription recently)..

I think that dbf will be around longer than Access since it didn't start out as a MS product and a whole cult and commuinity grew up around it before MS bought up FoxPro. That's why I think that these access people will go to dbf before going to SQL unless they're just plain short of processing power. I've seen SQL Server junction tables with a billion records in it - you just can't do that with dbf or Access.

SQL Server becomes very expensive and smaller companies will only move over to it if they need that processing power otherwise dfb is fine.

Jeff-