Sell a database?

[Guest]

I have created something with Access and would like to market it and sell it.
Is there any legal ramifications to this besides the buyer having to have a
copy of Access already?

Thanks,

John

 

[Guest]

If you seriously want to sell your db, you should look into making it a
run-time version which can be distributed without the user needing Access
installed on their pc.

 

[Susie Johnson]

if you're serious about selling your database you should use SQL Server


Access MDB is for lamers and retards

 

[Scott McDaniel]

I have created something with Access and would like to market it and sell
it.
Is there any legal ramifications to this besides the buyer having to have
a
copy of Access already?

As Daniel said, you'd almost have to have a copy of the Access Runtime if
you plan on marketing this "in the wild". You can't depend on users to have
the correct version of Access. You'd also be well advised to use the Sagekey
scripts to install the runtime, to make sure that your install didn't screw
up the user's machine.

That said, deploying an Access application is every bit as difficult as
deploying any other application. You'll need an installer (Inno Setup has a
pretty decent free one) to build the directories and shortcuts. If you're
concerned about copy protection, you'll need to look into that area as well.
A compiled help file is essential. Custom icons are nice, although not a
strict requirement (but it will set your app apart from others).

 

[Tom Wickerath MDB]

if you think that people will BUY an Access database; then you are sadly
mistaken

you should learn SQL Server

Access MDB is no longer reccomended as a database or a reporting platform.

 

['69 Camaro]

Everyone please note that Aaron Kem.pf is attempting to impersonate one of
our regular posters again. Tom would never post such a message.

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
Blogs: www.DataDevilDog.BlogSpot.com, www.DatabaseTips.BlogSpot.com
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.

 

[Larry Linson]

I have created something with Access and would like
to market it and sell it. Is there any legal ramifications
to this besides the buyer having to have a copy of
Access already?

You've had good technical and installation advice for addressing the
"general market." Many Access database applications, however, are niche
market items, and you may have a good idea that all your potential customers
will have Microsoft Office Pro installed, in which case you can simply
distribute the database, data, and some installation scripts. If the
customers have Access, it would be redundant to distribute and install an
Access runtime.

There are legal implications of intellectual property. Unless you are
creating a database just for a single client, you won't be selling it to the
users, you'll be licensing it to them. There have been many discussions in
the USENET newsgroup comp.databases.ms-access, and in some of these
Microsoft-sponsored newsgroups, on copyright and licensing.

The only reliable approach is to gather as much informal opinion as you
think you need, try to come to some conclusion as to what you want to do,
and then go see a qualified attorney who is a specialist in copyright,
patent, and intellectual property issues.

And, there are all the legal issues of a small business in general. Check
to see if you can find a local SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives),
which works in concert with the Small Business Administration on a volunteer
(for which, read 'free') basis.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP