[WEB4LIB] Access2002 vs. SQL .. which way do we go?

[Karen Harker]

Despite improvements in Access2002, it is still not as robust as SQL
Server.  One improvement 2002 has over Access2000 is that Access2000 has
"memory leaks", which, over time, causes it to crash periodically.  
 
After reading your own replies, including the transaction load, and
while 50 simultaneous users is not terribly busy, it is nothing to
sneeze at.  Our ejournals list is now the most heavily used resource,
even more than our home page.  It is mission critical and we are glad to
be using SQL Server rather than Access2002.
 
Mind you, I agree with other respondents about your Webmaster...it
sounds like you should wean yourselves from her (him?).  Your best bet
would be to learn how to maintain this stuff yourselves, as best as you
can.  Migrating from Access2000 to SQL Server is not hard.  Furthermore,
you can still use Access2002 to maintain the data by using Access Data
Projects. These are like "clients" on your workstation that use the
standard Access interface (i.e. forms, reports, etc.) to display and
manage data from a SQL Server database.  The only caveat is to make sure
that on your workstations you have installed the Service Release Pack 1
and 2 (there are some bugs that these service packs solve).  
 
Regarding learning SQL, while you should know how to write basic SQL
queries (i.e. SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE), you do not need to know
"SQL programming", which is more complex and not necessary for basic
data maintenance.  I used a Sam's Teach Yourself Transact-SQL in 21 Days
book to get what I needed.  
 
Now, regarding how to Web-enable this data, you could still use any of
the programming/scripting languages you mentioned later (ASP, PHP, Perl,
etc.).  It would just take some time to learn these things.  But mind
you, these are all high-level programming languages...they are being
mastered by many, many people like you, with very little programming
experience.  
 
We have always used Cold Fusion Server (available via Macromedia), and
there is a lite version that is freely available (here's some more
info:
http://download.allaire.com/cfexpress40/single/ColdFusionExpress.exe 
Cold Fusion 4.0 Express - ColdFusion is an integrated group of tools
that let you develop applications and take control of your webserver. It
is an all-in-one package that delivers powerful functionality to website
administrators and developers. This is the express version, free with
limited functionality. )
It is limited to running basic SELECT queries and displaying the
results, but that is pretty much all you want to do anyhow, it seems. 
CFML (the scripting language for Cold Fusion) is much easier to learn
than ASP or PHP. If you have programmed in BASIC, you can program in
CFML.  
 
I would be glad to share our experiences and offer you advise if you go
in this direction.  In addition, there are two articles that provide
details on this kind of project in Library Computing:
1999. Mischo, William H. and Mary C. Schlembach. "Web-based access to
locally developed databases." Library Computing, vol. 18(1): 51-58.
—--An ASP approach.
 
1999. Harker, Karen R. (alright, shameless plugging here ;) "Order out
of Chaos: Using a Web database to manage access to electronic journals."
Library Computing, vol. 18(1): 59-67.
 
http://download.allaire.com/cfexpress40/single/ColdFusionExpress.exe 
Cold Fusion 4.0 Express - ColdFusion is an integrated group of tools
that let you develop applications and take control of your webserver. It
is an all-in-one package that delivers powerful functionality to website
administrators and developers. This is the express version, free with
limited functionality. 

Another solution you may want to consider is to outsource this
altogether. There are companies who will do this for you, such as TDNet
and EBSCO (if you already use EBSCO for your subscriptions, they may be
the ideal solution), Serials Solutions.  Try this link (it is shameless
promotion of these services, but it may give you more info):
http://www.subscription-agents.org/ejournaladmin.html 
 
Hope some of this helps.
 
 
Karen R. Harker, MLS
UT Southwestern Medical Library
5323 Harry Hines Blvd.
Dallas, TX  75390-9049
214-648-1698
http://www.swmed.edu/library/ 

>>> Vicki Falkland <rch.library at wch.org.au> 12/4/02 7:50:17 PM >>>
dear all,

our library is planning to convert our static HTML journals list into
a
dynamic list. i am a total newbie when it comes to dynamic websites
and
databases. i do follow threads posted here on this topic, and have
searched
the Archives, but i need to ask something about different methods
please ...

CURRENTLY: our journal titles are all contained in an Access(2000)
database
(by a colleague), which we use to print hard copy lists and reports,
but
the web version is hand-coded (by me). therefore, we are maintaining
two
lists. 

THE ORIGINAL PLAN: with help from our organisation's webmaster (for a
fee;
our webmaster charges for his time and expertise), we would move the
info
from the Access database into SQL, which i presume would mean we'd have
to
learn SQL to maintain it. we would also have a web-based admin page set
up
so that either of us could edit the (single) list as necessary.

THE PROPOSED NEW PLAN: my colleague has now suggested that Access2002
is
miraculous and will do everything we want without having to bother
with
SQL, or the webmaster, or the webmaster's fee (although of course
there
would be the cost of upgrading Access). the claim is that Access2002
is
more "flexible" than SQL, and that it will be easier for us to
maintain.

i'm nervous .... and not convinced that Access2002 is the answer.
can anyone give me reasons (in simple terms please!) why i'm wrong to
think
this proposed new plan is a Bad Idea ? 

i'm willing to BE convinced, but i need to hear it from someone far
more
experienced and knowledgable on this topic than myself OR my esteemed
colleague :)

thanks,
vicki





Library Information Technology Support Officer

===============================================
Women's and Children's Health
J.W. Grieve Library
Royal Children's Hospital
Flemington Rd, Parkville, Vic, 3052
Ph: (03) 9345 7010
Fax: (03) 9347 8421
Email: rch.library at wch.org.au 
Internet: www.wch.org.au/library 
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