MS Access is NOT and Enterprise Solution
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Johnny J. wrote:
What does it matter that what you do is stupid and irrelevant and will become obsolete in a month - it puts food on the table, right?
It matters to me. It matters that I do a job the "right" way regardless of how obsolete it will become.
If you feel that way, then you shouldn't work for others. You should be in business for yourself. As long as you work for others, they will always make you do stuff that you feel is stupid. What I'm trying to do is give you a piece of advice: Don't take things so seriously - otherwise you will NEVER be content with your lot in life!
1f y0u c4n r34d 7h15 y0u r3411y n33d 70 g37 14!d Gotta run; I've got people to do and things to see... Don't tell my folks I'm a computer programmer - They think I'm a piano player in a cat house... Da mihi sis crustum Etruscum cum omnibus in eo!
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Slacker007 wrote:
I need a vacation
Even prostitutes get tired of lying around... ;P Take a break, then rewrite it the way it should have been done the first time. If money's the issue, target SQL Server Express edition and let the customer decide when it's time to upgrade. The benefits of the better platform should be immediately obvious to them. I know that SQL Server is a hard sell, as ridiculously expensive as it is, but experience should make the choice a lot easier for the client.
Will Rogers never met me.
There are other options, such as MySQL, that provide enterprise databases that don't break the bank. Bit of a learning curve if its new to you, but worth considering.
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Slacker007 wrote:
They want me and another dumb-ass programmer to do a "complete" re-write.
Completely rewrite it in C#/SQL. Maybe they don't want to spend money on a server box for SQL (I know, that's no excuse, but still...)
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
Completely rewrite it in C#/SQL.
It will be. I started working on it last Friday.
John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
Maybe they don't want to spend money on a server box for SQL
At first this was one of the reasons. However, they realize now that their is no other way.
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If you feel that way, then you shouldn't work for others. You should be in business for yourself. As long as you work for others, they will always make you do stuff that you feel is stupid. What I'm trying to do is give you a piece of advice: Don't take things so seriously - otherwise you will NEVER be content with your lot in life!
1f y0u c4n r34d 7h15 y0u r3411y n33d 70 g37 14!d Gotta run; I've got people to do and things to see... Don't tell my folks I'm a computer programmer - They think I'm a piano player in a cat house... Da mihi sis crustum Etruscum cum omnibus in eo!
I hear what you are saying. I know I need to learn to laugh it off - my wife says the same thing.
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Slacker007 wrote:
I need a vacation
Even prostitutes get tired of lying around... ;P Take a break, then rewrite it the way it should have been done the first time. If money's the issue, target SQL Server Express edition and let the customer decide when it's time to upgrade. The benefits of the better platform should be immediately obvious to them. I know that SQL Server is a hard sell, as ridiculously expensive as it is, but experience should make the choice a lot easier for the client.
Will Rogers never met me.
Roger Wright wrote:
I know that SQL Server is a hard sell, as ridiculously expensive as it is, but experience should make the choice a lot easier for the client.
... and more than a few extra days of development time spent fighting with the WTF known as access isn't? :doh:
3x12=36 2x12=24 1x12=12 0x12=18
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I hear what you are saying. I know I need to learn to laugh it off - my wife says the same thing.
Good boy! Listen to the misses - she's always right! :thumbsup:
1f y0u c4n r34d 7h15 y0u r3411y n33d 70 g37 14!d Gotta run; I've got people to do and things to see... Don't tell my folks I'm a computer programmer - They think I'm a piano player in a cat house... Da mihi sis crustum Etruscum cum omnibus in eo!
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What does it matter that what you do is stupid and irrelevant and will become obsolete in a month - it puts food on the table, right?
1f y0u c4n r34d 7h15 y0u r3411y n33d 70 g37 14!d Gotta run; I've got people to do and things to see... Don't tell my folks I'm a computer programmer - They think I'm a piano player in a cat house... Da mihi sis crustum Etruscum cum omnibus in eo!
Johnny J. wrote:
What does it matter that what you do is stupid and irrelevant
If you have an skerrick of pride and professionalism then it matters a great deal. I have the greatest sympathy for a developer who's recommendations are watered down to the point where they are ineffective and it hurts even more when the client is a major organisation.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
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I hear what you are saying. I know I need to learn to laugh it off - my wife says the same thing.
look at it from the 'big picture' perspective. The company wanted a solution. Your company wanted to provide one. You wanted to provide a good, technical solution. What is the outcome? All three parties wishes are granted! It's win-win-win sure you developed a prototype in Access, but I bet you learned a lot doing that that will be useful in the rewrite? Meantime your company has been paid, you've been paid and the company you're developing the software for has just paid a little more than they may have
___________________________________________ .\\axxx (That's an 'M')
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There are other options, such as MySQL, that provide enterprise databases that don't break the bank. Bit of a learning curve if its new to you, but worth considering.
OK, now I'm gonna have to stick my chin out: MySQL is a toy - it's perhaps ok for internal applications, but it shouldn't be used for applications that are used outside the office by real users. I was working for a company a couple of years ago that had used MySQL as backend for their webshop. And in the end we were stuck to using a several years old version of MySQL, because every time we tried updating to a newer version, it would break the application, needless to say, it aggrevated our customers and we lost business every time.
1f y0u c4n r34d 7h15 y0u r3411y n33d 70 g37 14!d Gotta run; I've got people to do and things to see... Don't tell my folks I'm a computer programmer - They think I'm a piano player in a cat house... Da mihi sis crustum Etruscum cum omnibus in eo!
modified on Tuesday, February 8, 2011 9:01 AM
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OK, now I'm gonna have to stick my chin out: MySQL is a toy - it's perhaps ok for internal applications, but it shouldn't be used for applications that are used outside the office by real users. I was working for a company a couple of years ago that had used MySQL as backend for their webshop. And in the end we were stuck to using a several years old version of MySQL, because every time we tried updating to a newer version, it would break the application, needless to say, it aggrevated our customers and we lost business every time.
1f y0u c4n r34d 7h15 y0u r3411y n33d 70 g37 14!d Gotta run; I've got people to do and things to see... Don't tell my folks I'm a computer programmer - They think I'm a piano player in a cat house... Da mihi sis crustum Etruscum cum omnibus in eo!
modified on Tuesday, February 8, 2011 9:01 AM
Haven't used it meself - but I know MySQL is in use out there inthe real world in million-hits=per-day sites Maybe you had a bad experience - and why were you updating to the newer version if it broke the application anyway - unbless there was already something wrong?
___________________________________________ .\\axxx (That's an 'M')
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I have found that the second a client finds out what can (potentially) be done with MS Access (or any other cheap solution) they then try to see how much work they can get done with this database software program. This is a bad thing in so many respects and on so many levels. I proposed C# with SQL Server - minimum. They wanted and "they payed" my company to see what I can get done with Access 2007. I told them their dreams will turn into nightmares in less than one month's time. They did not believe me. My advice and concerns have turned into reality. Microsoft Access is not meant to be a multi-user data entry system...it is not dependable and it crashes all the time and is constantly prone to corruption. Even Microsoft says that Access is not meant for this kind of work. I had no choice in the matter. I don't work for myself. I am not independently wealthy. I "need" this job right now; I have a family and bills to pay. Yet I am forced into working in a constant state of futility. Our client is a big-house and pays very well. Why couldn't they pay for the right solution to the problem the first time instead of taking the "usual" cheap man's way out is beyond me. I don't even know why my company allowed this contract to take off in the first place (a side from the money). I am emotionally spent. I need a vacation. They want me and another dumb-ass programmer to do a "complete" re-write. Thanks for reading.
Just see it as part of educating the children. You have to let your children make their own mistakes, that's how they learn. I see this happening all the time, and it doesn't freak me out. All you can do is give them the information you have, and let them make the choice. Often in half a year, or a year time they will see the light. Programming is a matter of years and years anyway, so who cares if a small Access application went to waste (see it as a prototype).
Wout
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OK, now I'm gonna have to stick my chin out: MySQL is a toy - it's perhaps ok for internal applications, but it shouldn't be used for applications that are used outside the office by real users. I was working for a company a couple of years ago that had used MySQL as backend for their webshop. And in the end we were stuck to using a several years old version of MySQL, because every time we tried updating to a newer version, it would break the application, needless to say, it aggrevated our customers and we lost business every time.
1f y0u c4n r34d 7h15 y0u r3411y n33d 70 g37 14!d Gotta run; I've got people to do and things to see... Don't tell my folks I'm a computer programmer - They think I'm a piano player in a cat house... Da mihi sis crustum Etruscum cum omnibus in eo!
modified on Tuesday, February 8, 2011 9:01 AM
I never did much with MySQL, besides using it for the web forum software that uses it. All the software that I write myself is using SQL Server Express, and I'm very satisfied with it. The SQL Server Management Studio (express version) is pretty good too: auto completion, squigglies, script generation, couldn't wish for much more I have to say.
Wout
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I never did much with MySQL, besides using it for the web forum software that uses it. All the software that I write myself is using SQL Server Express, and I'm very satisfied with it. The SQL Server Management Studio (express version) is pretty good too: auto completion, squigglies, script generation, couldn't wish for much more I have to say.
Wout
That's one I can buy! And also if you're looking for a single file solution as MS Access, there's SQL Server Compact Edition. But it's not quite as versatile as the Express version.
1f y0u c4n r34d 7h15 y0u r3411y n33d 70 g37 14!d Gotta run; I've got people to do and things to see... Don't tell my folks I'm a computer programmer - They think I'm a piano player in a cat house... Da mihi sis crustum Etruscum cum omnibus in eo!
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I have found that the second a client finds out what can (potentially) be done with MS Access (or any other cheap solution) they then try to see how much work they can get done with this database software program. This is a bad thing in so many respects and on so many levels. I proposed C# with SQL Server - minimum. They wanted and "they payed" my company to see what I can get done with Access 2007. I told them their dreams will turn into nightmares in less than one month's time. They did not believe me. My advice and concerns have turned into reality. Microsoft Access is not meant to be a multi-user data entry system...it is not dependable and it crashes all the time and is constantly prone to corruption. Even Microsoft says that Access is not meant for this kind of work. I had no choice in the matter. I don't work for myself. I am not independently wealthy. I "need" this job right now; I have a family and bills to pay. Yet I am forced into working in a constant state of futility. Our client is a big-house and pays very well. Why couldn't they pay for the right solution to the problem the first time instead of taking the "usual" cheap man's way out is beyond me. I don't even know why my company allowed this contract to take off in the first place (a side from the money). I am emotionally spent. I need a vacation. They want me and another dumb-ass programmer to do a "complete" re-write. Thanks for reading.
heh, your lucky you get to work with 2007. We did once, but it was to downgrade to Access 97 so it could be supported :doh: We've got a metric ton of Access 97 apps, most critical to their department. The current solution/plan...nowt. And the way the crazy arse budgets work means that the first dept that wanted c#/asp/sql would be stuffed with the entire bill for the servers, deployment and training (which would via some 'online click next x100' course) Then again we've just gotten rid of NT4, and the project to upgrade SQL 7 is going well! It's lucky we're just a small shop and not a national bank...oh wait :( :(( :sigh:
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I have found that the second a client finds out what can (potentially) be done with MS Access (or any other cheap solution) they then try to see how much work they can get done with this database software program. This is a bad thing in so many respects and on so many levels. I proposed C# with SQL Server - minimum. They wanted and "they payed" my company to see what I can get done with Access 2007. I told them their dreams will turn into nightmares in less than one month's time. They did not believe me. My advice and concerns have turned into reality. Microsoft Access is not meant to be a multi-user data entry system...it is not dependable and it crashes all the time and is constantly prone to corruption. Even Microsoft says that Access is not meant for this kind of work. I had no choice in the matter. I don't work for myself. I am not independently wealthy. I "need" this job right now; I have a family and bills to pay. Yet I am forced into working in a constant state of futility. Our client is a big-house and pays very well. Why couldn't they pay for the right solution to the problem the first time instead of taking the "usual" cheap man's way out is beyond me. I don't even know why my company allowed this contract to take off in the first place (a side from the money). I am emotionally spent. I need a vacation. They want me and another dumb-ass programmer to do a "complete" re-write. Thanks for reading.
A while back I the company I worked for wanted a system to process large numbers of records in where security was pretty ciritical important. What would you do? Hire a security expert, get some a crack team of devs together and work out secure, scalable and robust system? Yes? I wish you'd worked in my old place. Here my ex-company's simple 12 step plan for greatness: 1. Sell your ability to process before getting anyone from IT to give a realistic idea of the effort required. 2. Get some bloke in the processing department, Bill or Eric or Alan* or something to write an Access/VBA system 2a. Wait until the 100,000s transactions per day fill up the 2GB limit on the database. This takes about 3 months BTW. 3. Contact IT to get them to fix the problem. Then make sure everyone know this is the now the top development priority. 4. Put a cack team of two developers onto it: one a graduate developer whose experience is in another framework, the other who [seemingly] hasn't kept up to date for 8 years. 5. Don't keep tabs on the chaps as they descend into their silo and don't contact the processing department. 6. Enjoy the mayhem as the system isn't even close to what is needed. 7. Throw very experienced devs into the team to sort the problems (and replace the original devs, who sensibly leave). Don't listen to the senior's recommmendations: drop this as fixing it will take longer. 8. Continue to ignore this advice from multiple sources as we are always "just around the corner". For 24 months. 9. Basque in the delight as the processing department assume each dev is stupid because a) Point 6 is their experience [legitimate] b) None of the developers understand the business requirements immediately through some telepathic process presumably [not]. 10. Revel in the warm glow of having glorfied clerks talk down to the experienced (and highly qualified) devs like, erm, glorfied clerks. Don't make any attempt to stop this, it will only raise morale in the already angry dev team. 11. Ensure that, instead of actually changing the system, you continue pargeting what you have, so adding to the big ball of mud and each fix breaks at least one other thing. 12. Watch as your most senior dev leaves, followed by each team member who has been forced to work on the project for more than a month. Great Sucess! I've been gone now for a good while, my contacts inform me they are still trying to fix the original system. At least they've got the records to check correctly for the first time. In the pr
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OK, now I'm gonna have to stick my chin out: MySQL is a toy - it's perhaps ok for internal applications, but it shouldn't be used for applications that are used outside the office by real users. I was working for a company a couple of years ago that had used MySQL as backend for their webshop. And in the end we were stuck to using a several years old version of MySQL, because every time we tried updating to a newer version, it would break the application, needless to say, it aggrevated our customers and we lost business every time.
1f y0u c4n r34d 7h15 y0u r3411y n33d 70 g37 14!d Gotta run; I've got people to do and things to see... Don't tell my folks I'm a computer programmer - They think I'm a piano player in a cat house... Da mihi sis crustum Etruscum cum omnibus in eo!
modified on Tuesday, February 8, 2011 9:01 AM
Sorry for your bad experience, but that's no toy - I agree that maintenance is harder than SQL Server, but that said its free. There's an enormous number of applications out there based on MySQL. Wikipedia in particular springs to mind - if it can cope with that I doubt many user's will outgrow it quickly.
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I have found that the second a client finds out what can (potentially) be done with MS Access (or any other cheap solution) they then try to see how much work they can get done with this database software program. This is a bad thing in so many respects and on so many levels. I proposed C# with SQL Server - minimum. They wanted and "they payed" my company to see what I can get done with Access 2007. I told them their dreams will turn into nightmares in less than one month's time. They did not believe me. My advice and concerns have turned into reality. Microsoft Access is not meant to be a multi-user data entry system...it is not dependable and it crashes all the time and is constantly prone to corruption. Even Microsoft says that Access is not meant for this kind of work. I had no choice in the matter. I don't work for myself. I am not independently wealthy. I "need" this job right now; I have a family and bills to pay. Yet I am forced into working in a constant state of futility. Our client is a big-house and pays very well. Why couldn't they pay for the right solution to the problem the first time instead of taking the "usual" cheap man's way out is beyond me. I don't even know why my company allowed this contract to take off in the first place (a side from the money). I am emotionally spent. I need a vacation. They want me and another dumb-ass programmer to do a "complete" re-write. Thanks for reading.
SQL Server Express is free, and a lot better than Access IMO.
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I have found that the second a client finds out what can (potentially) be done with MS Access (or any other cheap solution) they then try to see how much work they can get done with this database software program. This is a bad thing in so many respects and on so many levels. I proposed C# with SQL Server - minimum. They wanted and "they payed" my company to see what I can get done with Access 2007. I told them their dreams will turn into nightmares in less than one month's time. They did not believe me. My advice and concerns have turned into reality. Microsoft Access is not meant to be a multi-user data entry system...it is not dependable and it crashes all the time and is constantly prone to corruption. Even Microsoft says that Access is not meant for this kind of work. I had no choice in the matter. I don't work for myself. I am not independently wealthy. I "need" this job right now; I have a family and bills to pay. Yet I am forced into working in a constant state of futility. Our client is a big-house and pays very well. Why couldn't they pay for the right solution to the problem the first time instead of taking the "usual" cheap man's way out is beyond me. I don't even know why my company allowed this contract to take off in the first place (a side from the money). I am emotionally spent. I need a vacation. They want me and another dumb-ass programmer to do a "complete" re-write. Thanks for reading.
I have the same problem with potential clients. Notice I said potential ... I don't take the work. I do my best to leave it on good terms and suggest they call me when their needs change.
Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. I also do Android Programming as I find it a refreshing break from the MS. "And they, since they Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs" -- Robert Frost
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Haven't used it meself - but I know MySQL is in use out there inthe real world in million-hits=per-day sites Maybe you had a bad experience - and why were you updating to the newer version if it broke the application anyway - unbless there was already something wrong?
___________________________________________ .\\axxx (That's an 'M')
Not really. MySQL may be fast, but that's about it. As I see it, this speed is bought by omitting some very useful things like transactions. And transactions are a thing I do not like to have to do without.
A while ago he asked me what he should have printed on my business cards. I said 'Wizard'. I read books which nobody else understand. Then I do something which nobody understands. After that the computer does something which nobody understands. When asked, I say things about the results which nobody understand. But everybody expects miracles from me on a regular basis. Looks to me like the classical definition of a wizard.
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Sorry for your bad experience, but that's no toy - I agree that maintenance is harder than SQL Server, but that said its free. There's an enormous number of applications out there based on MySQL. Wikipedia in particular springs to mind - if it can cope with that I doubt many user's will outgrow it quickly.
Are you joking? A database without transactions is of little use for anything but the simplest web applications. So why bother with it in the first place?
A while ago he asked me what he should have printed on my business cards. I said 'Wizard'. I read books which nobody else understand. Then I do something which nobody understands. After that the computer does something which nobody understands. When asked, I say things about the results which nobody understand. But everybody expects miracles from me on a regular basis. Looks to me like the classical definition of a wizard.