The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Looking for an answer to 'Ms Access" in OSX

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by CaptVideo, Sep 2, 2008.

  1. CaptVideo

    CaptVideo Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I know this forum has been beating the Windows vrs Mac horse for a while now, but since I am now in the market for a new laptop I thought I might as well pick the brains of the mac-elite.

    I am looking for a program that can mirror the kind of ease and simplicity of MS Access. I do allot of databasing and spreadsheets and rely on this program for a multitude of necessities (such as form letters, mailing labels and mass mailings to name but a few). I have been in and out of the Apple stores and all that I have been able to gather is that OSX can actually part the Red Sea. But what I have been unable to find out is if Mac has the answer to MS Access and what it is called. If there is anyone out there who can offer an unbiased answer to my inquiry, I am all ears…especially anyone with extensive knowledge of Access.
    Thanks to all in advance.

    -Capt.
    (ps, sorry for sounding bitter, but I have been getting the runaround from the Apple store gurus and frustrated with everything ‘Windows’ and hoping for a Mac remedy).
     
    CaptVideo, Sep 2, 2008
    #1
  2. booboo12

    booboo12 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    4,062
    Messages:
    4,272
    Likes Received:
    96
    Trophy Points:
    116
    booboo12, Sep 3, 2008
    #2
  3. Budding

    Budding Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,686
    Messages:
    3,982
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    105
    Although there are database applications which match Access in terms of user friendliness, none will have the same level of integration with the Microsoft Office Suite and other Microsoft applications as Microsoft Access. Therefore, if compatibility with other Microsoft products is a major concern for you (such as integration with Microsoft Exchange, Sharepoint, Visual Studio, etc.), it would be best to install Windows in a Virutal Machine and run Access from there.
     
    Budding, Sep 3, 2008
    #3
  4. r0k

    r0k Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    104
    Messages:
    406
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    There are a number of free options...

    NeoOffice
    mysql

    Then there is the option to run Access 97 under Crossover
    Lastly, the best option on OS X is filemaker pro or the less expensive filemaker bento. Both of these have free trials.

    I was a fairly heavy Access user but now I keep my data in flat tables in csv and xls format. I will probably get around to buying filemaker pro one of these days but not now.

    hope this helps...
     
    r0k, Sep 3, 2008
    #4
  5. wobble987

    wobble987 Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    543
    Messages:
    2,871
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    MS Access is user friendly!?!
     
    wobble987, Sep 3, 2008
    #5
  6. Budding

    Budding Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,686
    Messages:
    3,982
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    105
    It is if you've been using it for the past decade...or so I've heard.
     
    Budding, Sep 3, 2008
    #6
  7. alphanash

    alphanash Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    7
    Messages:
    70
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I use CrossOver Mac for MS Office and it runs just as well as it does on Windows. I don't use Access that often, but i've never had any issues with it in the past
     
    alphanash, Sep 3, 2008
    #7
  8. CaptVideo

    CaptVideo Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    First off, thank you to all who replied and helped to shed some light on this.
    I did check out the Bento the demo video, which seems similar to Access, but it does not mention form letters, mailing labels or any kind of mail-merge properties. However I have come across a fellow co-worker who use OSX and agreed to experiment with installing Access and running it through “Parallels.’ I’ll keep you all posted….
    Thanks again all…have a great weekend!
    Cheers!
    -Capt.
     
    CaptVideo, Sep 6, 2008
    #8
  9. qhn

    qhn Notebook User

    Reputations:
    1,654
    Messages:
    5,955
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    205
    I use Open Office :D
    It also comes with a developer's version for OS X ... Free

    cheers ...
     
    qhn, Sep 7, 2008
    #9
  10. Khris

    Khris Yes I am better than you!

    Reputations:
    655
    Messages:
    2,608
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Yes, *ALL* Microsoft products are user friendly. Didn't you know? :rolleyes:
     
    Khris, Sep 7, 2008
    #10