Compared to industrial-strength database products such as
Microsoft's SQL Server, Access is a breeze to use. It runs on PCs
rather than servers and is ideal for small- to mid-sized businesses
and households. But Access is still intimidating to learn. It
doesn't help that each new version crammed in yet another set of
features; so many, in fact, that even the pros don't know where to
find them all. Access 2007 breaks this pattern with some of the
most dramatic changes users have seen since Office 95. Most obvious
is the thoroughly redesigned user interface, with its tabbed
toolbar (or "Ribbon") that makes features easy to locate and use.
The features list also includes several long-awaited changes. One
thing that hasn't improved is Microsoft's documentation. To learn
the ins and outs of all the features in Access 2007, Microsoft
merely offers online help.
