free software alternative to Access

Jeff Smith jsmith at alum.mit.edu
Sun Apr 17 17:18:00 EDT 2005


Not that it's a replacement, but a tool to help in
migrating stuff is mdbtools (http://mdbtools.sf.net).  It's
a set of FLOSS tools to extract Access databases into other
db's.  Unfortunately, it only deals with the DB, not all
the forms and reports.  I admit I'm curious about base,
because Access, for all the problems with the db itself, is
useful for prototyping and getting a quick&dirty DB up. 
Unfortunately, it might be too easy - everyone does it,
then expects it to be robust.

There's also libPST
(http://alioth.debian.org/projects/libpst/)for extracting
Outlook mail.  Despite what it says, it also handles mh
format mail (separate directories).

I've used both a bit.  useful tools for converting existing
stuff, but needs to be joined with other projects for full
usefullness.
jeff  

--- Dan Jenkins <dan at rastech.com> wrote:
> Peter Dobratz wrote:
> 
> > I'm working with the Greater Nashua Habitat for
> Humanity.  We have an 
> > annual fundraiser that includes many affiliates from
> New Hampshire and 
> > Northeastern Massachusetts.  Our current solution to
> take registration 
> > information uses a Microsoft Access Database that one
> of our members 
> > developed.  Although our primary focus is having
> something that gets 
> > the job done, I would prefer to use free software where
> possible.  
> > It's disappointing to have to tell people that they
> can't use the 
> > software we developed because they bought the
> "standard" version of MS 
> > Office, which does not include Access.  There are ways
> of getting 
> > discount prices for software for non-profits, but any
> money we spend 
> > on software is money that can't go towards building
> houses.
> >
> > Does anyone know of any free software packages that we
> can use?  
> > Basically, we have hikers and teams of hikers that
> raise money.  We 
> > want to keep track of how much money each hiker
> contributed, and keep 
> > their names and addresses, so that we can mail them a
> brochure for 
> > next year's hike.  Most of the laptops that people own
> or borrow for 
> > the event have some version of windows on them.  Some
> sort of bootable 
> > CD with USB flash drives for the datastore might be
> optimal.
> 
> OpenOffice 2.0 beta has a database feature. It is
> available for 
> multiplatforms.
> 
> > OpenOffice.org always had database frontend tools, but
> in past 
> > versions they were very hidden. OpenOffice.org 2.0
> starts to handle 
> > databases like any other application, i.e. a new
> database can be 
> > created via the "File - New" menu. For novice users
> OpenOffice.org 
> > provides a new Table Wizard that allows to create
> database tables 
> > without any knowledge of databases and SQL. The new
> embedded Java 
> > technology based HSQLDB
> <http://hsqldb.sourceforge.net/> database 
> > engine allows to create "database documents". These
> simple database 
> > files don't require a backend database server like
> MySQL or Adabas D. 
> > All information (table definitions, data, queries,
> forms, reports) is 
> > stored in one XML file.
> 
> I have not used this feature yet. There are undoubtedly
> many more 
> options, but that's the first one that comes to my mind.
> 
> -- 
> Dan Jenkins (dan at rastech.com)
> Rastech Inc., Bedford, NH, USA --- 1-603-206-9951
> *** Technical Support for over a Quarter Century
> 
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