G
Guest
To set the context- I'm a long-time IT techie with a career including
everything from coding in assembly language to being an IT executive in a
Fortune 100 company. Currently, I'm an Independent Software Consultant using
Access all day every day with many well-known clients and, sometimes, very
large databases. I've recently taken the Vista and Access 2007 plunge with a
brand new high-end PC to replace my XP box. Most of my work is with data
analysis, queries and reports.
I'm generally open to change. I look forward to each new release of
Microsoft products with fear and hope. This is not a rant. After a few
weeks with the new software and machine, this is an attempt at an objective
assessment based upon extensive experience and how things work for me. It
may help others.
User Interface:
===============
I really like the UI overhaul in general. The new tabbed view (like a tabbed
browser) is wonderful. The omnipresent navigation window is great and I also
like the new ribbon and quick access tool bar. It's really easier and faster
than having to wade through multiple levels of the old drop down menus once
you learn where everything is. The design concept is well done and worth the
learning curve. The new 'advanced' filter mechanism coupled with the filter
toggle is really well done. It allows you to build a mini-query to use
strictly for filtering that is easily manipulated. It remembers your current
filter logic and allows you to change it without having to redo it from
scratch. It's really great for those who do a lot of data analysis.
There are things I miss from the old version that seem like glaring
oversights. For example, I often develop query streams to break complex
logic into multiple queries, one built on top of the other, sometimes several
queries deep. In XP, I clicked one button and had a new query design view
pop up with the previously active query or table already placed and ready.
If there's a way to do that now, I can't find it - and I've looked hard. Now
I have to go through multiple clicks and scrolling to get to the same place.
I also did a lot of quick filtering with SQL expressions in the "Filter For:"
box off the right-click menu. Now they've added cumbersome sub-menus with
too many options that may help less sophisticated users but get in my way and
add literally dozens of clicks to my work day. I've never understood why MS
seems to consistently sacrifice experienced user efficiency by dumbing it
down for the less-experienced. I know all their highly paid experts will
disagree with me, but I've designed a lot of UIs in my day and I just don't
believe these are mutually exclusive options. I'm sure they try hard to
strike a balance, but I think they could do a lot better at doing both things
well simultaneously. Minimizing the number of clicks is something I'm sure
they consider - but it is clearly not as high a value in their design as
clarity for the less-experienced. I'm Wizard-weary. Adding stuff for newer
users is great and necessary - but I wish they wouldn't take away from
experienced users in the process.
All-in-all, however, I'd say it's a net plus. Some tasks require more
clicks, but many require fewer. The tabbed view alone saves me lots of time
'hunting' for the right window and sizing them for maximum efficiency (anyone
know how to make this the global default without having to set it for every
database I use?). The quick-access toolbar definitely helps minimize clicks
for often-used tasks. I do expect to find even more I like as I dig deeper
into this complete redesign. I give the new UI a thumbs up.
Alternate Color:
================
This is available on the datasheet view as well as for reports. It allows
you shade every other line with whatever color you want and is great for
reducing eye strain when looking at data. I often did this on reports with a
bit of Basic code in an event. I think it can be a tremendous enhancement
for report readability. Now I can nix the extra coding and it is an
available option for those who don't want to write event processes in Basic.
New Export Plugins:
===================
I have been "printing" Access reports to PDF files for years using an Adobe
product. I am absolutely elated with the new PDF export option. A little
Basic code in the background and I can print literally thousands of reports
into an organized folder structure with a single click. It is much faster
and more flexible than the PDF print process I had before.
Performance:
============
I'm stunned. It's easy to see how the cynics among us get their fuel. I'm
afraid there is absolutely nothing good to report here. Performance is truly
abysmal. I'm still praying there are ways I haven't discovered yet to
improve it, or that later patches will help.
There I was with my shiny new custom-built box (3 Ghz Core2Duo, 2 Gb RAM,
RAID-1 pair of mirrored program drives and RAID-0 pair of data drives),
anxious to move all my working Access databases and watch the queries fly. I
nearly cried when I opened my first database to watch it respond SLOWER than
on the 4-year-old XP box I replaced.... MUCH slower. I tried not to panic
and went looking for settings that might affect performance. I spent many
hours checking and un-checking boxes, comparing query speeds and tweaking
some more. After turning off every piece of overhead I could find most of my
queries now run only a little slower than on the old PC. I've tried
converting to the latest DB format with no noticeable difference. If anyone
out there is aware of options or tweaks to improve performance that I may be
missing PLEASE reply to this posting! We're not talking about database/query
design here. I am talking about exactly the same database in side by side
comparisons with XP. There are absolutely no other variables involved -
except that Vista/Access 2007 is running on a far superior PC. I still have
a 3-year-old (only mid-level when new) XP laptop that I use for road trips to
client sites. I literally copied identical databases from one to the other
and ran several side by side tests for query execution. The old laptop won
every time. It's sad. I really hope someone has information I'm missing
that will help.
Summary:
========
I'm certainly still a newbie at this latest incarnation of Access and
readily admit (and hope) I may be missing some things. There's a lot of good
to say about the new Access. Especially if you are a newer user or are
working with small tables, I'd recommend upgrading as soon as possible. For
those of us, however, who work with large databases, complex queries and
sophisticated reports - I'd recommend putting it off as long as possible and
be certain you have the absolute best machine you can get when you finally
take the plunge. All the UI improvements in the world do not provide a net
productivity increase when query performance is so slow.
everything from coding in assembly language to being an IT executive in a
Fortune 100 company. Currently, I'm an Independent Software Consultant using
Access all day every day with many well-known clients and, sometimes, very
large databases. I've recently taken the Vista and Access 2007 plunge with a
brand new high-end PC to replace my XP box. Most of my work is with data
analysis, queries and reports.
I'm generally open to change. I look forward to each new release of
Microsoft products with fear and hope. This is not a rant. After a few
weeks with the new software and machine, this is an attempt at an objective
assessment based upon extensive experience and how things work for me. It
may help others.
User Interface:
===============
I really like the UI overhaul in general. The new tabbed view (like a tabbed
browser) is wonderful. The omnipresent navigation window is great and I also
like the new ribbon and quick access tool bar. It's really easier and faster
than having to wade through multiple levels of the old drop down menus once
you learn where everything is. The design concept is well done and worth the
learning curve. The new 'advanced' filter mechanism coupled with the filter
toggle is really well done. It allows you to build a mini-query to use
strictly for filtering that is easily manipulated. It remembers your current
filter logic and allows you to change it without having to redo it from
scratch. It's really great for those who do a lot of data analysis.
There are things I miss from the old version that seem like glaring
oversights. For example, I often develop query streams to break complex
logic into multiple queries, one built on top of the other, sometimes several
queries deep. In XP, I clicked one button and had a new query design view
pop up with the previously active query or table already placed and ready.
If there's a way to do that now, I can't find it - and I've looked hard. Now
I have to go through multiple clicks and scrolling to get to the same place.
I also did a lot of quick filtering with SQL expressions in the "Filter For:"
box off the right-click menu. Now they've added cumbersome sub-menus with
too many options that may help less sophisticated users but get in my way and
add literally dozens of clicks to my work day. I've never understood why MS
seems to consistently sacrifice experienced user efficiency by dumbing it
down for the less-experienced. I know all their highly paid experts will
disagree with me, but I've designed a lot of UIs in my day and I just don't
believe these are mutually exclusive options. I'm sure they try hard to
strike a balance, but I think they could do a lot better at doing both things
well simultaneously. Minimizing the number of clicks is something I'm sure
they consider - but it is clearly not as high a value in their design as
clarity for the less-experienced. I'm Wizard-weary. Adding stuff for newer
users is great and necessary - but I wish they wouldn't take away from
experienced users in the process.
All-in-all, however, I'd say it's a net plus. Some tasks require more
clicks, but many require fewer. The tabbed view alone saves me lots of time
'hunting' for the right window and sizing them for maximum efficiency (anyone
know how to make this the global default without having to set it for every
database I use?). The quick-access toolbar definitely helps minimize clicks
for often-used tasks. I do expect to find even more I like as I dig deeper
into this complete redesign. I give the new UI a thumbs up.
Alternate Color:
================
This is available on the datasheet view as well as for reports. It allows
you shade every other line with whatever color you want and is great for
reducing eye strain when looking at data. I often did this on reports with a
bit of Basic code in an event. I think it can be a tremendous enhancement
for report readability. Now I can nix the extra coding and it is an
available option for those who don't want to write event processes in Basic.
New Export Plugins:
===================
I have been "printing" Access reports to PDF files for years using an Adobe
product. I am absolutely elated with the new PDF export option. A little
Basic code in the background and I can print literally thousands of reports
into an organized folder structure with a single click. It is much faster
and more flexible than the PDF print process I had before.
Performance:
============
I'm stunned. It's easy to see how the cynics among us get their fuel. I'm
afraid there is absolutely nothing good to report here. Performance is truly
abysmal. I'm still praying there are ways I haven't discovered yet to
improve it, or that later patches will help.
There I was with my shiny new custom-built box (3 Ghz Core2Duo, 2 Gb RAM,
RAID-1 pair of mirrored program drives and RAID-0 pair of data drives),
anxious to move all my working Access databases and watch the queries fly. I
nearly cried when I opened my first database to watch it respond SLOWER than
on the 4-year-old XP box I replaced.... MUCH slower. I tried not to panic
and went looking for settings that might affect performance. I spent many
hours checking and un-checking boxes, comparing query speeds and tweaking
some more. After turning off every piece of overhead I could find most of my
queries now run only a little slower than on the old PC. I've tried
converting to the latest DB format with no noticeable difference. If anyone
out there is aware of options or tweaks to improve performance that I may be
missing PLEASE reply to this posting! We're not talking about database/query
design here. I am talking about exactly the same database in side by side
comparisons with XP. There are absolutely no other variables involved -
except that Vista/Access 2007 is running on a far superior PC. I still have
a 3-year-old (only mid-level when new) XP laptop that I use for road trips to
client sites. I literally copied identical databases from one to the other
and ran several side by side tests for query execution. The old laptop won
every time. It's sad. I really hope someone has information I'm missing
that will help.
Summary:
========
I'm certainly still a newbie at this latest incarnation of Access and
readily admit (and hope) I may be missing some things. There's a lot of good
to say about the new Access. Especially if you are a newer user or are
working with small tables, I'd recommend upgrading as soon as possible. For
those of us, however, who work with large databases, complex queries and
sophisticated reports - I'd recommend putting it off as long as possible and
be certain you have the absolute best machine you can get when you finally
take the plunge. All the UI improvements in the world do not provide a net
productivity increase when query performance is so slow.