Here's a great question that BILL sent in:

Just a thought that entered my head...maybe you cover it somewhere...but here it is anyway.....Though I have worked with computers for over 30 years I am still challenged by the array of new stuff that keeps coming up..even just take Microsoft alone...they keep on releasing new products and tools and a question that must arise in system designers minds is ...What Tools do I use?, or maybe more correctly, What tools are best?  A simple example....I did a beginners course on VB two years ago (never implemented anything) just did it to see how VB worked.....but at the time I thought that VB might make a better User interface to Access than the interfaces available within Access. Thats still a question I have to answer, but back to my overall question, how does one approach getting an answer to this type of question. Same question would apply to (maybe) FrontPage and ASP etc......for Web development. I know that the answer is probably to go with what you know, rather than try to become an expert in all, but I'd be interested in your views. maybe some scope for further course material. Again, Many thanks.

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My reply:

Bill,

If you have a question like this, the best way to get an answer is to just ask me. Post it in my FORUMS and I'll try to get you an answer as soon as I can. www.599cd.com/forums

As far as VB and Access go, I recommend sticking with ACCESS if you're doing anything database-related. If your app is primarily a database, then stay with the database app. If your application does lots of OTHER stuff that's not database-related, but just so happens to need SOME database access to save data, then use VB. VB is really best, in my opinion, for building NON-database programs.

Regarding web design, your EDITOR of choice is really just a matter of personal preference. I like FrontPage (now Expression Web - even though I still like FrontPage better). Lots of people use other apps. It's like whether or not you use Word or WordPerfect, or Internet Explorer v. Firefox. There's no CLEAR winner, it's mostly a matter of personal preference and which you like best.

Regarding web technologies, I like ASP because it's closest to Visual Basic, which is what I'm most familiar with. Other web server programming languages like PHP are fine - and will do the same job for the most part, but that involves learning a completely new language.

Your thoughts?

Anyone else?