Post: Drimnagh, Dublin 12, Republic Of Ireland

Tel/Fax: 353-1-4548335 Email:dbassist@indigo.ie

I started in 1990 with an Apple Mac using Excel and then moved to Lotus 123 for DOS on a PC. I moved on to Lotus 123 for Windows 3.1 and Windows '95, picking up skills in PowerPoint, Word, Freelance Graphics, Ami Pro, Approach, ccMail, Notes mail and WordPerfect along the way. I studied Windows NT systems - both workstation and server.

I always believed in doing a task on a computer only once! Why should I have to do the same task tomorrow, next week or next month when I have already done it?

This brought me into the world of macros (lists of instructions that carry out actions like Print or Open). Lotus 123 and MS Excel allowed me to use macros to automatically repeat the stuff I had to do. When Microsoft created a new macro language called Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), I took to it like a duck to water! I learned to do a lot more with VBA than I could ever do with the basic macros.

Spreadsheets are a fantastic tool for analysis. However, as lists of items got longer and longer in the spreadsheet, things started to slow down and get more cumbersome.

Enter Microsoft Access.  Here is a tool already sitting on my PC as part of MS Office, that wants to work with long, long lists   I dived in and nearly drowned! At times Access can look like a spreadsheet and it can feel like a spreadsheet. Access even has features in common with a spreadsheet. It is NOT a spreadsheet. My spreadsheet-like brain definitely got in the way of my learning Access.

I persevered and it was worth it. Access gives me total control over large lists along with tools to rapidly mix 'n' match to beat the band. Access also has VBA so  again, repetitive, time-consuming or intricate tasks like analysis and reports will be performed immediately at the touch of a button with little or no user intervention.

Along with 12 years teaching and developing on a freelance basis, I decided to attend night classes and in April 2002, I passed my final exams to gain my Diploma in Business Computing. So now I have both experience and qualifications.

[ Home ] [ Development ] [ Training ] [ Access Tips ] [ Excel Tips ] [ Philosophy ] [ Take A Break ]

Send mail to dbassist@indigo.ie with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2002 DBAssist
Last modified: November 02, 2002