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Subject:Re: Excel not the right tool? From:"Townsend, Emru" <etownsend -at- POSITRON -dot- QC -dot- CA> Date:Fri, 22 Jan 1999 16:31:12 -0500
Generally, I agree with this sentiment. I have a horror story about a
publisher who used Excel to write up advertising rate information
because he couldn't figure out how to use Word's columns feature.
(Don't worry, I won't relate it here. But I did use the anecdote to
scare my students into making sure they used the right tools for the
right job.)
That said, there are times when the perfect tool is simply not an
option. I once created a database much like the original poster
requested, using Excel. Why not use Access? I was strapped for disk
space, and had no budget to upgrade for quite a while. Excel has some
database functions, and by its very nature organizes information in
tables. It was a good second choice, and it had the option to export to
Access when that disk space became available.
Sometimes you *have* to warp the tool, and in those cases it's best to
know which tools will require the least amount of warping.
Emru Townsend
Technical Communications Wiseguy - Product Integration
Positron Public Safety Systems Inc.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
e-mail: etownsend -at- positron -dot- qc -dot- ca
My words are my own. Confuse them with my employer's at your own risk.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Miki Magyar [SMTP:MDM0857 -at- MCDATA -dot- COM]
> Sent: Friday, January 22, 1999 3:05 PM
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: Excel not the right tool?
>
> Correct me if I'm wrong (now there's an invitation!), but I thought
> Excel =
> was designed as a spreadsheet program for accounting stuff, not as a =
> database. Okay, okay, any collection of Stuff can be considered a =
> 'database', but I'm talking about programs like Paradox (which is the
> only =
> one I have used) that are designed to support a structured query
> language, =
> data entry, and so on.=20
>
> It seems reasonable to use the right tool for the job. If you're only
> =
> familiar with one tool, perhaps it's time to expand your horizons. So
> in =
> answer to Alecia Lee's query about using Excel to create a catalog,
> I'd =
> suggest she explore what proper database programs can do.
>
> We've seen a number of posts asking "How can I warp this tool that I =
> already know to make it do something quite different?" My generic
> standard =
> answer is, don't bother. Find out what tool is designed to do that
> job, =
> and learn to use it. The usual caveats of time and budget apply, of =
> course.=20
>
> Anyway, that's what I say. I just said it.
>
