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Home -> Community -> Usenet -> c.d.o.misc -> Re: Oracle8 vs. MS Access
I don't suppose anyone could compare using Access as the Front End to
Paradox. I am using paradox currently and it appears to have most the
features I need. I am looking for a comparison. I heard Paradox's OPAL
is superior to Access' VB, but I have never personally tried access.
brian
On Mon, 7 Dec 1998 17:04:50 -0800, "John Haskins" <76054.334_at_compuserve.com> wrote:
>After many years of programming Access front ends for Oracle databases, I
>started using Oracle's Develper/2000 to create forms & reports. Very nice.
>It has far fewer annoying quirks than Access, offers similar speed, and has
>all the advantages that come from the GUI knowing just about everything
>about its back end database. Not cheap, but worth it if you have to develop
>widely-distributed apps, IMHO.
>
>
>
>
>Piquet wrote in message <366C69D1.C957889A_at_bigpond.com>...
>>
>>Greg Williams wrote:
>>
>>> I have been asked to research the difference between using a Oracle8
>>> database vs. MS Access 97 database. If you could give me specifics on
>the
>>> differences and advantages/disadvantages of the two databases I would be
>>> most appreciative. Security opinions/detials would be a plus!
>>>
>>> Greg Williams
>>> Lambda Consulting
>>> greg.williams_at_lambaconsulting.com
>>
>>Where do you want to start?
>>Access 97 is not designed for a corporate data warehouse. Essentially, it
>is
>>useful for smaller, workgroup solutions, and also makes a good, easy to
>>develop front end. It is also extremely useful if you are interested in
>rapid
>>prototyping. The downside to Access is that it uses the client PC to
>perform
>>all of the data selection, updating etc. This means that generally, the
>>entire database is transmitted across the network, in order to obtain maybe
>>one record of information. Not the most efficient use of bandwith.
>>Another problem with Access, (and databases similar, Paradox, FoxPro,
>Dataflex
>>etc.) is that it relies on each individual client to ensure that the
>database
>>is maintained in a stable state. Transaction Rollback is not as effective,
>>and if client PC's crash, the database can continue on other PC's, however
>the
>>update may remain inconsistent.
>>
>>The strength of Oracle, and other like databases is that the Oracle Server
>is
>>the only means of accessing the data. This ensures that the database
>>integrity is more effectively maintained. Another advantage is that
>network
>>bandwith is more effectively utilised. By having a client submit a query,
>and
>>only the resulting dataset being transmitted over the network, the network
>>traffic is reduced. Further, the client utilises it's processor for what
>it
>>does best, managing the user interface, whilst the server does what it does
>>best, maintaining the database.
>>
>>Unfortunately, the complexity of Oracle is far greater than Access, and
>>requires some actual learning to be done. Yuk. Access 97 is simple to
>>install, and can be picked up quite quickly. A database administrator for
>>Access '97 basically has to occassionally repair and compact the database
>to
>>ensure that it continues to run. With Oracle, the administrator has to
>>actually understand what is going on. This means that the initial setting
>up
>>of the database can take far longer, however the resulting performance and
>>flexibility is far greater.
>>
>>One simple note, having set up an Oracle Server, and an MS SQL Server, the
>SQL
>>Server was the easier. However, Oracle did outperform it in just about
>every
>>other way.
>>
>>One final note... Oracle has an upsizing tool that converts an Access 97
>>database, so the rapid development approach using Access could be
>translated
>>to Oracle. (I haven't used this yet though.) I like Oracle, even if I
>don't
>>quite fully understand it yet. I can see where it is powerful. I also
>like
>>Access, it is easy to program, easy to develop, and easy to maintain. I am
>>currently looking at using Oracle as the backend, and Access as the client
>>end.
>>
>>Piquet
>>
>
"For every complex problem, there is
a solution that is simple, neat, and
wrong." -- H. L. Mencken
Received on Tue Dec 08 1998 - 01:14:50 CST
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