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Access takes MUCH LONGER.

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    Access takes MUCH LONGER.

    A little over a year ago, I decided to change my primary database from Alpha Five (V4) to Access 2002 Developer Edition. Yes, I was frustrated with the repeated delays in releasing version 5 and the bugs and features that did not perform as advertised in version 4. I had also grown tired of explaining to folks that the database I was using was a good one even if they had never heard of it. And then there was the price. Microsoft offered Access with unlimited runtime plus all other major programs (Word, Excel, Outlook etc.) for the upgrade price of about $550 while the Alpha Five upgrade price was substantially higher--and that just for the database.

    Well, a year down the road, I can report the following: Access is a good program BUT development time is soooo much longer than I experienced with Alpha Five--and remember I am comparing it to Version 4, not the current version. I don't know how many times over the last year I've been developing in Access and thinking how much easier this was to accomplish in Alpha Five. I can now believe the assertion made last year that development time in Alpha is 5 times less than with Access. My experience bears this out.

    As I said above, Access is a good program but probably better suited to a full time professional developer. If you develope primariy for your own use (as I do), Alpha Five is definitely the better choice.

    #2
    RE: Access takes MUCH LONGER.

    Just to put in my opinion. Even as a full time, professional developer, A5 is the way to go over Access. We can deliver projects in considerably less time (and at less cost)and the client is happier because they can follow our examples in scripts, forms, reports, etc., and complete a good deal of additional things on their own. As for the "recognition" factor, I do believe that Alpha is finally getting the recognition it has deserved for the 15+ years that we have been developing using Alpha Products. With so many developer tools available under V5, even I can look professional.....if I use them correctly.
    John Lemisch

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      #3
      RE: Access takes MUCH LONGER.

      What I'm afraid of is that Alpha will get discovered and everyone will be developing databases because 'it's so easy' and here I'll be groveling for database development jobs.

      I hope Alpha remembers where they came from and who's been with them all these years and they don't get too big a corporate 'head'.

      I discovered the Misey of Access many years ago now after using Alpha 4, wanting to develope for windows, and getting Alpha 5. That was it.

      This new version of Alpha does have some really nice things--but still some items I still want. So they're still 'draggin my heart around'. You will get the biggest frustrations but the biggest rewards with A5!

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        #4
        RE: Access takes MUCH LONGER.

        Dennis,

        I think that for the most part you needn't worry much. I have worked with a lot of clients who started out thinking that they wanted to do it themselves. Then they wanted to do some of it and have me do the rest. In the end, I generally just end up doing the whole project.

        Most people who want a database don't have the time or inclination to learn all that is necessary to create the kind of application that they want. Sure there are people who will do things half-way that will work for them. However, these are the kind of people who don't usually make good clients anyway. In the final analysis, Alpha's ease of use is a tremendous boon to business owner/user and developer alike.

        Howard (with my 2 cents)

        --
        Howard Cornett, Owner
        TEAM Business Builders
        (607) 564-3333
        http://teambizbuilders.tripod.com
        Howard G. Cornett, Independent Consultant

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          #5
          RE: Access takes MUCH LONGER.

          Dennis:
          I wouldn't be terribly concerned about that. Knowing how to program, and manipulate Alpha is very, very important! But, if the "programmer" doesn't understand business in general, or have the ability to grasp the concept of the prospect's business needs, he/she will be no competition. One thing a client hates to have to do is to "train" a programmer about his/her business.

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            #6
            RE: Access takes MUCH LONGER.

            I think Alpha Five is a great program for professional developers. What I said was: You probably want to be a professional programmer if you are going to use Access to develope a business database.

            I have had a tremendous learning curve over the last year. I had to learn to do things in Access that Alpha Five did for me. After a year, I have a very workable database but there are still some features that I cannot duplicate with Access. This may surprise some, but one feature I miss most is Letters. In Alpha, I was able to create form letters that could be merged within the program. Now I have to create a mail merge with Wordperfect which is more trouble than simply doing it all within the database.

            To get back to the main point...I program mainly for my own business. I think Alpha Five is perfect for developers like me who can't afford to devote their entire work life to database programming. But it also has great advantages for the professional.

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