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Re: Database

Subject: Re: Database
From: Walter Knapp <>
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 00:41:50 -0400
From: "Jim Morgan" <>

> 
> My 2 cents on database.......
> 
> I use Microsoft Access because I believe it is the most permanent database
> available. I have almost 7000 recordings cataloged on my database and I
> can't afford to loose this list. I keep it backed up on cdr so a hard drive
> failure won't wipe me out.
> 
> It is simple to use and easly modified if you want to make any changes.
> 
> When I retrieve a particular recording it quickly tells me on which of my 50
> cdr backups it can be found.
> 
> I can't emphasize enough the dangers of using a brand of software that may
> not be around a few years from now. There are probably other cataloging
> software programs that will out perform Access but this superior performance
> could end up being a deadly trap. Software companies come and go but I
> believe Microsoft is the best bet for permanence there is. Note that I am
> not particularly a big fan of Microsoft but I feel it provides the safeest
> cataloging there is.

The first commercial database I used was Microsoft File. Which Microsoft 
abandoned without warning. Nothing they produced afterwards would read 
the files. Microsoft has done this in other ways too. Like Excel that 
won't open earlier version files. I'd hardly call Microsoft safe.

I use Filemaker, which is available for several OS's, much more 
universal in that respect. And can import and export a fairly wide range 
of other formats. And Filemaker has been around and continually 
modernized since the 80's, not stagnant like so many databases. Or a new 
kid like Access.

I happen to have a access file here I've been trying to crack. It's the 
entire database for the 5 year herp atlas project in final form. Arrived 
today. They were using dBase, but the powers that be in the state 
dictated that they change to access. Part of the government's support a 
monopoly program, I guess. Many of my programs can open dBase, and 
that's what I expected. None of them, including Microsoft programs can 
open access. And that includes two PC's. I'm going to really hate it if 
I have to buy a program just to open one file and transfer it to a good 
database.

Walt






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