Why choose SQL Express over Access?

[Frank Rizzo]

Frank,
Can you point to something that documents your assertion that SQL Express
does not run on XP Home? Runs fine on my XP Home test machine....Haven't
been able to test access across a network to SQL/e on XP Home.

Steve,

I stand corrected. I just looked at the requirements page:
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/editions/express/sysreqs.mspx

and they just mention windows xp. The page must have changed, because
other people complained about it. Here is an article from database
journal when SQL Express came out says winxp pro.
http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/3492296

I guess they changed it.

 

[Sahil Malik [MVP C#]]

Especially if that one machine is the CEO's laptop.

SM

 

[Sahil Malik [MVP C#]]

Miha is right .. it's more than just "copying a few DLLs".

SM

 

[r norman]

Especially if that one machine is the CEO's laptop.

Microsoft used to have an older Access jet engine available for
download. My impression is that they stopped when they incorporated
it into most operating systems. Do you know of any specific
platforms that do not have it?

 

[Paul Clement]

On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 01:09:26 -0700, "Frans Bouma [C# MVP]"

¤ Furthermore, MS doesn't include the JET engine anymore in the MDAC
¤ installations (if I'm not mistaken), something to consider in your
¤ decision. (which means effectively, that they want to keep people from
¤ using .mdb files as a database for an application which isn't build in
¤ MS Access, as the JET engine is only distributed with Office today (if
¤ I'm not mistaken).

Actually you are. ;-)

It's installed with the latest versions of the Windows operating systems.

Paul
~~~~
Microsoft MVP (Visual Basic)

 

[Frans Bouma [C# MVP]]

On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 01:09:26 -0700, "Frans Bouma [C# MVP]"

¤ Furthermore, MS doesn't include the JET engine anymore in the MDAC
¤ installations (if I'm not mistaken), something to consider in your
¤ decision. (which means effectively, that they want to keep people
from ¤ using .mdb files as a database for an application which isn't
build in ¤ MS Access, as the JET engine is only distributed with
Office today (if ¤ I'm not mistaken).

Actually you are. ;-)

It's installed with the latest versions of the Windows operating
systems.

I didn't know for sure so I *fortunately* added a disclaimer .
THough I do know that it's not included in MDAC anymore. Do you happen
to know if the JET engine installed is 3.5 or 4.0? Because if it's 3.5,
there might be problems with .mdb's which require 4.0, as MDAC doesn't
include the engine.

FB

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lead developer of LLBLGen Pro, the productive O/R mapper for .NET
LLBLGen Pro website: http://www.llblgen.com
My .NET blog: http://weblogs.asp.net/fbouma
Microsoft MVP (C#)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Cor Ligthert [MVP]]

Frans,

From this page

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnmdac/html/data_mdacinstall.asp

On Windows XP, the Jet components that are included with MDAC 2.5 SP2 are
preinstalled with the OS. For a complete list of the files (and their
versions) that are included with each MDAC release, see Data Access and
Storage Developer Center MDAC Downloads.

Cor

On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 01:09:26 -0700, "Frans Bouma [C# MVP]"

¤ Furthermore, MS doesn't include the JET engine anymore in the MDAC
¤ installations (if I'm not mistaken), something to consider in your
¤ decision. (which means effectively, that they want to keep people
from ¤ using .mdb files as a database for an application which isn't
build in ¤ MS Access, as the JET engine is only distributed with
Office today (if ¤ I'm not mistaken).

Actually you are. ;-)

It's installed with the latest versions of the Windows operating
systems.

I didn't know for sure so I *fortunately* added a disclaimer .
THough I do know that it's not included in MDAC anymore. Do you happen
to know if the JET engine installed is 3.5 or 4.0? Because if it's 3.5,
there might be problems with .mdb's which require 4.0, as MDAC doesn't
include the engine.

FB

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lead developer of LLBLGen Pro, the productive O/R mapper for .NET
LLBLGen Pro website: http://www.llblgen.com
My .NET blog: http://weblogs.asp.net/fbouma
Microsoft MVP (C#)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[steve]

Frank,

We had just about decided to use SQL Express for our next project when I saw
your post. Since we need to support XP Home and Pro, I was a bit concerned
and just wanted to make sure we were making the right choice.

Steve

Frank,
Can you point to something that documents your assertion that SQL Express
does not run on XP Home? Runs fine on my XP Home test machine....Haven't
been able to test access across a network to SQL/e on XP Home.

Steve,

I stand corrected. I just looked at the requirements page:
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/editions/express/sysreqs.mspx

and they just mention windows xp. The page must have changed, because
other people complained about it. Here is an article from database
journal when SQL Express came out says winxp pro.
http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/3492296

I guess they changed it.

Sahil Malik [MVP C#] wrote:
The only advantage Access gives you is "File based deployment". And
frankly SQL Anywhere (or was it everywhere - I loose track in all these
name changes) should be a better choice for desktop-ish applications
anyway.
There is one more Access advantage: it'll run on Windows XP Home
Edition, while SQL Express will not (requires XP Pro). So if you are
targeting mom&pop shops or the home market, either do Access or stick to
MSDE.

Regards

 

[Paul Clement]

¤ Paul Clement wrote:
¤
¤ > On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 01:09:26 -0700, "Frans Bouma [C# MVP]"
¤ >
¤ > ¤ Furthermore, MS doesn't include the JET engine anymore in the MDAC
¤ > ¤ installations (if I'm not mistaken), something to consider in your
¤ > ¤ decision. (which means effectively, that they want to keep people
¤ > from ¤ using .mdb files as a database for an application which isn't
¤ > build in ¤ MS Access, as the JET engine is only distributed with
¤ > Office today (if ¤ I'm not mistaken).
¤ >
¤ > Actually you are. ;-)
¤ >
¤ > It's installed with the latest versions of the Windows operating
¤ > systems.
¤
¤ I didn't know for sure so I *fortunately* added a disclaimer .
¤ THough I do know that it's not included in MDAC anymore. Do you happen
¤ to know if the JET engine installed is 3.5 or 4.0? Because if it's 3.5,
¤ there might be problems with .mdb's which require 4.0, as MDAC doesn't
¤ include the engine.

It's version 4.0. Jet hasn't been included with MDAC for a while. They're somewhat independent of
one another. You don't necessarily need MDAC for Jet and vice versa. You only need MDAC for Jet if
you use ADO and OLEDB when working with an Access database.


Paul
~~~~
Microsoft MVP (Visual Basic)

 

[William \(Bill\) Vaughn]

SQL Express is supported on all versions of XP. See:
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/editions/express/sysreqs.mspx

--
____________________________________
William (Bill) Vaughn
Author, Mentor, Consultant
Microsoft MVP
INETA Speaker
www.betav.com/blog/billva
www.betav.com
Please reply only to the newsgroup so that others can benefit.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
__________________________________

Frank,

We had just about decided to use SQL Express for our next project when I
saw your post. Since we need to support XP Home and Pro, I was a bit
concerned and just wanted to make sure we were making the right choice.

Steve

Frank,
Can you point to something that documents your assertion that SQL
Express does not run on XP Home? Runs fine on my XP Home test
machine....Haven't been able to test access across a network to SQL/e on
XP Home.

Steve,

I stand corrected. I just looked at the requirements page:
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/editions/express/sysreqs.mspx

and they just mention windows xp. The page must have changed, because
other people complained about it. Here is an article from database
journal when SQL Express came out says winxp pro.
http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/3492296

I guess they changed it.

Sahil Malik [MVP C#] wrote:
The only advantage Access gives you is "File based deployment". And
frankly SQL Anywhere (or was it everywhere - I loose track in all
these name changes) should be a better choice for desktop-ish
applications anyway.
There is one more Access advantage: it'll run on Windows XP Home
Edition, while SQL Express will not (requires XP Pro). So if you are
targeting mom&pop shops or the home market, either do Access or stick
to MSDE.

Regards

 

[ljh]

Speaking of Borland....

I remembered this discussion when I read yesterday that Borland is getting
out of the IDE business altogether. Chief Borland evangelist David
Intersomine announced the company's plans to spin off the IDE product line
way back in February on his blog at
http://blogs.borland.com/davidi/archive/2006/02/08/23013.aspx.

In the blog, David seems to indicate that Borland is simply starting a new
company for this line of Borland's products, but the magazine PC Plus (issue
242) says that Borland has been shopping for a buyer for the IDE business
lines since February and that tension is mounting as core people leave the
company because of Borland's lack of commitment to its developer tools
products.

I don't really see how it could have played out any differently. IMHO, most
people that choose to go .Net will not keep thier old language while doing
so. I mean, what's the point? Just make the move and be done with it.

Well, just thought you'd like to know....

 

[bob]

The best reason for guys like me: I ALREADY KNOW HOW TO USE ACCESS!!!

I've just obtained vb.net express and I'm having enough trouble
learning how to use it (and un-learning VB6). Right now, I don't want
to climb another mountain while I'm climbing this one.

 

[Sahil Malik [MVP C#]]

With the pace at which MSFT is releasing new stuff, I suggest getting over
the concept of climbing mountains and investing in a helicopter.

- Sahil Malik [MVP]
http://blah.winsmarts.com

 

[dbahooker]

MDB is shit.

spit on anyone that reccomends it or uses it anywhere for anything.

not for a single record and a single user; mdb isn't scalable enough.

i mean; if it comes down to excel or mdb; mdb any day of the week.

if it comes to a piece of shit unreliable db vs the worlds most popular
enterprise RDB?

SQL Server any day of the week.

-Aaron

 

[Miro]

A quick question...

An mdb file lets you supply a password - so you can only allow your
application from accessing / viewing the data.

Can you do this with SQL Express / Light / ... other ?

I am starting to get the feeling you cannot lock down the db with SQL
Express as you can a normal mdb?

Thank you

Miro

 

[Sahil Malik [MVP C#]]

SQL Express can be locked down - much like a SQL Server can be.

- Sahil Malik
http://www.winsmarts.com
http://blah.winsmarts.com

 

[Bob]

Sahil --

Excellent idea! I wrestled for a long time with trying to use Access
and when the match was over, I realized that getting Access to work
under "OleDb" was as hard or harder than just learning SQL!! I am now
riding the helicopter and -- you absolutely won't believe this -- had a
bad dream last night that I WAS in a helicopter and just barely
avoiding crashing into trees, buildings, and power lines.

btw, I arrived at your web site along the way in my Access/Sql travels,
and found your code about creating databases and tables in SQL using
VB.NET very helpful. Thanks so much.

 

[Bob]

Sahil --

After writing my last reply to your message, I still can't believe that
I had the helicopter dream last night. I rode in a helicopter once in
my life, and that was about 30 years ago. I have NEVER (that I can
remember) ever had a helicopter dream -- until last night. I haven't
checked the time of your message, but I suspect that my dream must have
occurred after you wrote me your message. I really wonder if there is
some "medium" out there that carries brain waves around, or something,
whereby my subconcious received some glint of your thought before I
actually read it. WOW!

btw, what does "MSFT" stand for?

Thanks,

 

[Daniel Billingsley]

Microsoft.

 

[Sahil Malik [MVP C#]]

Thanks Bob

I just got back from TechED, and yes, you do need a helicopter, and don't
worry, we are all barely avoiding trees/buildings/power lines

I am glad you found the code helpful.


--

- Sahil Malik
http://www.winsmarts.com
http://blah.winsmarts.com

Sahil --

Excellent idea! I wrestled for a long time with trying to use Access
and when the match was over, I realized that getting Access to work
under "OleDb" was as hard or harder than just learning SQL!! I am now
riding the helicopter and -- you absolutely won't believe this -- had a
bad dream last night that I WAS in a helicopter and just barely
avoiding crashing into trees, buildings, and power lines.

btw, I arrived at your web site along the way in my Access/Sql travels,
and found your code about creating databases and tables in SQL using
VB.NET very helpful. Thanks so much.

With the pace at which MSFT is releasing new stuff, I suggest getting
over
the concept of climbing mountains and investing in a helicopter.

- Sahil Malik [MVP]
http://blah.winsmarts.com

The best reason for guys like me: I ALREADY KNOW HOW TO USE ACCESS!!!

I've just obtained vb.net express and I'm having enough trouble
learning how to use it (and un-learning VB6). Right now, I don't want
to climb another mountain while I'm climbing this one.


Sahil Malik [MVP C#] wrote:
Short incomplete list of reasons -

- SQL Express (or SQL Server in general) will scale better to multiple
users.
- It will give you a "way out" when your DB exceeds 4GB
- It will be easier to maintain from a DBA point of view (centralized
backups *.*)
- It will give you a much richer feature set - notification, SQLCLR,
better
T-SQL*.*
- It will give you better performance (No OleDb necessary)
- You won't have to compact it as often
- Better support for data types/indexes etc. etc.
- Other reasons.

The only advantage Access gives you is "File based deployment". And
frankly
SQL Anywhere (or was it everywhere - I loose track in all these name
changes) should be a better choice for desktop-ish applications
anyway.

- Sahil Malik
http://www.winsmarts.com


Why would you choose SQL Express (which requires an installed
application
to work) over the simplicity of an Access database which has no
dependencies?