Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 04:21:54 GMT
Reply-To: Xlr82sas <xlr82sas@AOL.COM>
Sender: "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU>
From: Xlr82sas <xlr82sas@AOL.COM>
Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com
Subject: Re: SAS v. MS-Access for applications
Soapbox on
Over the next five years we will probably see more changes in the way we
present, analyze, transmit and interact with data then in the previous
ten years. If you question this, just think about the internet.
Suppose you invest hundreds of hours into MS-Access entry screens, report
generation, graphics and then management declares Personal Oracle 7 must
be used instead of MS-Access.
Other problems with MS-Access are scalability,
security, incomplete compatibility with other hardware and operating
systems and the lack of documented data dictionaries.
One solution to handling change lies in ODBC. ODBC allows full access to
databases, ie
updates, creates, deletes, transport between databases, etc. ODBC code
does not change
when you change databases. ODBC works for local and remote access ( no
need for DDE ).
Because ODBC makes it easy to switch databases, ODBC development by the
database
makers and their 'Business Partners' has been very limited. I commend
PERL for its
ODBC work. I worry about the direction of computing when every commercial
developer is
a business partner with MIcrosoft.
I am investing considerable effort into MS-Access for several reasons,
none of which
are technical:
1. Access often comes with a new PC. MS-Access on 30 million
desktops!.
2. comp.databases.ms-access indicates millions of non-techs are
geting an introduction
to databases through MS-Access. ( the most active list??)
3. Bill Gates is determined to make MS-Access the desktop
database and is willing
to do whatever it takes ( Good bye Paradox, Foxpro and Dbase
).
4. As a independent I have no choice, MS-Access will be a major
player in the
database market.
I think Bill Gates lagacy will be this:
Through strongarm tactics, I was able to slow down computer
progress. First
I decided to kill OS/2 by promising a better 32bit operating.
Users can wait a
couple of years for Win95. Meanwhile use my DOS base 16bit
Windows 3.x,
your 32bit applications(like SAS ) will run about 10 times
slower than under OS/2,
this is acceptable to Microsoft.
The negative impact on all worldwide research and development
will be in about
5%, this is acceptable to Microsoft. Next I built MS-Office,
integrated it with
my operating systems and made sure it was on all desktops.
Later I used a
similar tactic with Microsoft Network (MSN). Finally I made
sure every commercial
software developer was a business partner, this dulled any
unsanctioned
development or competition.
I think Bill Gates should be made to listen to John Lennons 'Imagine' for
20 minutes
every day.
Soapbox off
Roger DeAngelis
xlr82sas@aol.com
For free sample code
http://members.aol.com/xlr82sas/utl.html
