Should I wait for a Newer Version?

[Al Phillips]

My church has MS Access 2003. I have volunteered to put their entire
membership directory on it, and bring them into the modern age. Am I doing
the church a disservice by using the 2003 edition? The church does not want
to spend the money to upgrade their software at this time (they have no
money). I am concerned that Microsoft’s Office of the future will not be
compatible with the 2003 version and my efforts will be wasted. What do you
think?

Thanks,

Al Phillips

 

[Jerry Whittle]

Go ahead and develop in A2003. A2007 can handle A2003 files so there
shouldn't be any future problem in the next 5 years or so.

 

[Al Phillips]

Thank you, Jerry.

Al

Go ahead and develop in A2003. A2007 can handle A2003 files so there
shouldn't be any future problem in the next 5 years or so.

 

[John W. Vinson]

On Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:21:01 -0700, Al Phillips <Al

My church has MS Access 2003. I have volunteered to put their entire
membership directory on it, and bring them into the modern age. Am I doing
the church a disservice by using the 2003 edition? The church does not want
to spend the money to upgrade their software at this time (they have no
money). I am concerned that Microsoft’s Office of the future will not be
compatible with the 2003 version and my efforts will be wasted. What do you
think?

Thanks,

Al Phillips

2003 is a topnotch version and will be a) available for quite some time and b)
data in a 2003 database will be readable by at least the next three versions
of Access, if history is any guide.

If you'ld like to look at a free church membership database (in A2003 format),
drop me an email at jvinson <at> wysard of info <dot> com. Edit out the blanks
and punctuation.

 

[Larry Linson]

I am concerned that Microsoft's Office of the future will not be
compatible with the 2003 version and my efforts will be wasted.
What do you think?

I think, as long as total memory available does not exceed 1GB (or is it
2GB, I forget), I can still develop, maintain, and use Access 2.0 (vintage
1993/1994) -- so I wouldn't be overly concerned that Microsoft will make it
impossible to use Access 2003 for quite some time yet. They do have an
official support schedule, but the fact that they no longer provide tech
support doesn't mean your database can no longer be used? How many times,
thinking back, have you called for support from Microsoft's tech support?

Larry Linson
Microsoft Office Access MVP