Re: What's Access good for? (was - How to hack a Voting machinecomputer)

You're dead right, Jim.

I am currently working on a second major project that exactly fits this
scenario.  The "super-users" developed these applications in Access, but one
has left the company and the other is leaving soon.

In both cases, these users had built applications using Access that are
critical to company functions.  One of the apps is a daily G/L extract that
gets sent to another system, and has to be run by the user who developed it
(it resides on his lap-top).

I was tasked to convert these Access applications to DreamWriter-driven
JDE-style RPG programs running on the iSeries.  The G/L extract just went
live this week.

By the way:
I am developing an affinity <shudder> for using Access for small data
conversions...the ability to create VBA functions to transform data is
handy.  The major negative aspect is the slow transfer time when using ODBC
to transfer data from the Access database to an iSeries database file.  IMO,
it wouldn't be suitable for large files...

Steve

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Damato" <jdamato@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "'Non-Technical Discussion about the AS400 / iSeries'"
<midrange-nontech@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2003 10:00 AM
Subject: What's Access good for? (was - How to hack a Voting machine
computer)


> >Walden
> >...in my opinion Access is good for only
> >one thing... (hmm, no it's not good the
> >that, maybe it's)... (no not that either,
> >perhaps)... OK, Access is NOT GOOD FOR
> >ANYTHING!
>
> Wrong, wrong, wrong.  Access is a great way for users implement stable,
> supported applications.  Let me explain the process:
>
> 1) User requests application from IS department.  IS dept. declines due
> to priorities and resource constraints.
> 2) Superuser (i.e. loose cannon, hacker) develops Access database for
> application.
> 3) Access application becomes a critical part of the business.
> 4) Access application goes multi-user.
> 5) Superuser quits, gets fired, is promoted or transferred.
> 6) Access application repeatedly fails due to multi-user instability
> and/or absence of Superuser support, including secret manual processes.
> 7) IS department is taken to task for "systems failures" or dragged in
> on a regular basis to support the application.
> 8) Management forces IS to produce a stable replacement, or IS takes it
> upon themselves to provide a replacement in order to stem the flow of
> support demands.
>
> Therefore, Access is an invaluable user tool -- a lever.
>
> I'm so glad to see companies providing Access to every desktop user.
>
> (see also:  Excel)
>
> -Jim
>
> James P. Damato
> Manager - Technical Administration
> Dollar General Corporation
> <mailto:jdamato@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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