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I've made four highly multi-user applications with Access, three now in use at manufacturing companies. The multi-user part is a challenge. I set these up so that each user gets their own appplication file on their client PC connected to the data file on the server. I've also made an auto-updater file that automatically updates the client PC with the latest files each time the user logs in.
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Same here.
I have an Access based application running my company for 18 years. I think it's ok up to 25 users. If we needed more users I would consider a back end based in SQL Server or Maria DB, but the front end is ok to make quick forms an reports.
Our database is 800Mb and keeps tables with way more of 100k records. Just don't keep LBOs there, try a workaround and everything will be fine.
If I started today I would choose another database engine. But then again, Access is taking care here of an aplication that involves invoicing, suply chain management, payrolls, bookkeeping, Document management, and some sophisticated functions like geolocation, web content management.. .etc
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SPoss wrote: What for?
To upgrade all your legacy .mdb files to the latest version. Not likely, but still no one knows when MS will stop supporting Versions 200x of those.
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Avijnata wrote: no one knows when MS will stop supporting Versions 200x of those.
The trouble is, a lot of MS Access isn't even backwards compatible. We have one database in our office that uses it and tbh I can't wait to find time to replace it.
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My dad uses it.
He worked for many years as a VAT Inspector before becoming an internal auditor for Customs & Excise. This made him a very boring man.
He has a number of Access DBs he has created on his laptop to store his stuff on.
It is perfect for that.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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This is exactly what the current value of Access is. And it's a very good value!
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I use it only for personal-use databases.
For a production database, or if the number of expected users exceeds 1, I would rather avoid Access' usage.
while (true) {
continue;
}
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Hi, my Name's Guy and I used to be an Access developer.
I used to write applications with Access(Years ago) - most of them were coding horrors.
I would recommend avoiding it.
It presents itself as a quick way top write database based applications without needing to know about good database or good application design.
Sure it looks nice to end-users and persuades them that they can code and create databases - however the chimera of monstrosities that have been birthed by Access would make even Cerberus throw up his dinner and I understand that if there was a modern day Sisyphus, his task would be to fix Access databases and Access applications.
What starts off as a quick and easy application gets added to and after a few years data a business relies on is embedded in a system that hides functionality and makes tracing issues difficult.
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
modified 3-Oct-15 4:12am.
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The problem with Access isn't as much Access itself, but rather its intended audience.
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That's nicely put!
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Does anyone use it? Yes.
Are there valid reasons to use it? Yes, with caveats.
I have heard of it being used by individuals working for charitable organizations when the individual is essentially cut off from field support, ie: they are on their own. Think interval Africa.. really, used by people in Africa without access to the internet for support.
I have seen it used (badly) in a commercial organization by the accounting group because 'someone' thought they knew how to create a database and the attendant code and couldn't be bothered asking the IT department for help.. that would take to long. So, when the database grew to over 5G and couldn't be shrunk and was tied to a particular machine that couldn't be re-imaged, etc... they refused to admit they had erred years before, but reluctantly asked the IT department for help is moving the functionality to SQL Server.
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I was going to say, why don't they use locaDB/sqlexpress instead, but thinking about it, if your in Africa etc, and you're an end user (not a developer), and you have need for a DB, what options do you have? I had a very quick look at access this morning, it does seem to come with ready made templates that an end user could quickly get setup and use.
I'm not about to start using it!! 
But for non developer/end users that want a simple DB, what other options do they have? Search for an app already made for the job. As an example, I've just googled 'CD Database software' ... and there where lots of hits
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You can easily connect an Access app file to SQL Server (or Express).
Keep searching for template files - MS has made many available!
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I have a difficult time imagining that a developer has no idea what Access is. Perhaps I missed the sarcasm? Since you already have it installed, I'd suggest that you try it and decide for yourself if it might be useful to you...it won't cost you a thing.
That said, I use Access 2003 almost every day. Why? Two words: Query Designer
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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No Sarcasm, genuine question. I've been aware of Access since windows 3.1 (I think access was available then, anyway along time), just never used it. Just never though/considered it's use, no reason not to.
During my early programming life, it was all embedded microcontrollers running C/asm with about 32K of program code. My most of the work is still embedded stuff.
I've only really started using DB in the last 6 years. combination of sql compact, express, localDb and MySQL, selecting whichever suited the project/client the best. I'm no DB expert, there's always something to learn!!
But I updated office yesterday, noticed access and opened it up to have a look. Which made me wonder if any one currently uses it.
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Query designer in Access is also my fallback tool when I'm having trouble figuring out how to write a SQL string in code! 
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ACCESS is so good that MS is killing it because is a big competitor of VS. ACCESS is the fastest RAD tool and you can do petty good desktop and web applications for SME or departments almost without code. Access it is simply fantastic. And of course there are millions of people using ACCESS.
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MS stopped making improvements in Access with the 2003 version. But - they have improved Access for power users since then.
It doesn't make sense for MS to put resources into improving two products for the same set of developers. The IDE in VS is much better than the IDE in Access.
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Access is great for manipulating data from one format to another, outside of that I have not used it
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I also used MSAccess for back-end DB while ago..
But now I'm using LocalDB or sometimes SQLite... 
Don't watch the clock;
Do what it does.
Keep going.....
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Many years ago but I don't want to see it again - ever.
However, I'd gladly go with dBase III and Clipper again.
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I loved Clipper - you could link c modules to it which was way cool at the time.
We can’t stop here, this is bat country - Hunter S Thompson RIP
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Access is a true RAD tool. If you can model data and build SQL Express databases it is perfect. The query builder and reporting is the best in the business. One day, building web databases will use the same techniques to build views as access uses to build forms. (instead of typing in a morass of HTML).
Most of the comments here are simply wrong - its a great tool and Microsoft has made (yet another) mistake in not developing it further.
Ray Starkey
ACCESSible IT Limited
Coventry, UK
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I fully agree with you. MS Access is a very good RAD tool and perfectly fine for smaller, tactical solutions. To throw the entire technology stack at a problem isn't always wise 
We use it in our company for various purposes.The entry level is relatively low and that maybe explains the image MS Access has. Everybody can crank something out in relative no time but in the wrong hands, the best tool can be disastrous!
When we decide MS Access is good enough for the task to solve, we still apply IT best practice in designing, programming, testing etc. We don't have many of those application but they do what they are supposed to do since years very successfully and reliable.
Cheers
Rene
Working at a larger Reinsurance Company
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