Hah! I earned two awards in the Navy for Access databases (one in 2000, the other in 2001), because what I could do with Access. Within a few hours, I could design and implement a database that was easy for even the least computer-literate user to use. I was also able to design and implement a security database that was more capable than the one that was commercially available (the one being replaced had *not* been Y2K-compatible). What I was able to do with Access saved my ship not just money, but many, many man-hours and countless headaches.

But you’re absolutely right — Access is wonderful for simple, done-in-a-day databases that can be designed for end-users with that deep, abiding fear of 1’s and 0’s that we’ve seen too many times…but it also has such limitations that it should never be recommended for serious commerce. It’s great for school records and committees and, yes, personnel records and tracking on Navy ships and military bases, but never for large-scale business purposes.