>>>Hey, before you knock Access, give it a try. I had never used Access until a few months ago, so I never had an opinion in the Access vs. VFP debate. I just knew I used VFP and it was a good enough tool that got the job done.
>>>
>>>Then I tried Access 97 in a little after hours contract. Of course there was a learning curve, but I was impressed with some features.
>>>
>>>Now I know it a little better.
>>>
>>>I hate it. It is an end-user database tool that is trying to be a development tool. It is weak.
>>>
>>>Now, on top of that, it is unreliable. I feel fortunate that I joined a company that uses VFP (well, FPD when I started). If MDM was using Access, I would have learned that and probably never looked at VFP. Sometimes you just get lucky.
>>>
>>>
>>>>Check out the following link for a story on Access data corruptions:
>>>>
>>>>http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,25778,00.html
>>>>
>>>>No development tool is perfect, but I at least I feel confident in FoxPro's data engine. Does anyone think that MS will push VFP more as the premier Desktop/LAN database tool? ;)
>>>>
>>>>Jack Mendenhall
>>>>Reinsurance Management, Inc.
>>
>>Are any commercial "shrink wrapped" off the shelf applications made in
>>Access ?
>>I dont think that microsoft recommends either visual foxpro or access for commerical applications ...
>
>There are hundreds of Access and JET shrink-wrapped apps. There are also hundreds of VFP shrink-wrapped apps. What makes you say that MS doesn't recommend VFP or Access for commercial applications?

i am referring to documentation in Office 97 which states that
Access is suitable only for "in house" applications.

later in the documentation they probably tell you to
purchase the developer edition in order to make
commercial applications

i thought access97 was considered by MS to be inadequate for developing
shrink wrapped general use applications because its
data access speed/reliability is not very good.
Wouldn't MS recommend that such a shrink wrapped application
be made in Visual Basic not in Access97 ?

isnt Access97 an ad hoc tool to be used by a small business who wants a small database for his own personal use and nothing more ?
or is Access97 considered a development tool or both ?

our company uses telemagic and we find it reliable and fast
,but i always thought for general use applications that vfp was not recommended by MS