Recent

Author Topic: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?  (Read 3187 times)

crixtiano

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 3
Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« on: December 03, 2019, 10:45:10 pm »
Hello friends!

My family owns a small store.

We have 3 computers at point of sale, 1 computer to receive payments and 2 computers at the office, to back end.

In one day, we conducted approximately 200 business transactions. I.e., in one day, the system performs approximately 200 sales transactions.

Most of these transactions take place at peak hours.

Some people have recommended me to create an ERP system using Access. But I'm unsure about that.

My question is, is an application made in Microsoft Access suitable for this kind of work? Or should I invest my time and develop a system developed in Lazarus/Delphi/VB/Java/Python with SQL Server/MySQL/PostgreSQL as the main database?

I think to help answer this question, I need to make a comparison between Microsoft Access and Lazarus. Could you please help me choose between Microsoft Access or Lazarus? Which would be best for this situation?

Thank you!

Cristiano M. M.

dbannon

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2786
    • tomboy-ng, a rewrite of the classic Tomboy
Re: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2019, 11:04:40 pm »
Many, many years ago, I made a Delphi application (on Windows 95) for a friend with roughly the same business needs.  To my absolute horror, I found out recently he is still using it !

My guess is he has fewer transactions per day than you but, from memory, about 5000 stock items.

Again, guessing, either system would probably met your needs. Your choice may come down to which one is easier to operate, maintain and, very important, provide an easy backup model. I am not totally convinced you need a full database server but maybe if you want more than one terminal active you do.  Lazarus will let you build a very light weight app with a local sqlite database through to something hitting a remote db server. 

What should you use ?  Obviously, on a Lazarus forum, the answer is Lazarus !

Davo
Lazarus 3, Linux (and reluctantly Win10/11, OSX Monterey)
My Project - https://github.com/tomboy-notes/tomboy-ng and my github - https://github.com/davidbannon

winni

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3197
Re: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2019, 11:11:12 pm »
Hi!

Even with only 3 clients: Don't use M$ Access. I've got that trouble ever day at work (not my decision). When Access is starting to become "full" like 400 or 500 MB the trouble starts: "compressing" at night - that means the space of all deleted records is freed. And it is slow.
If you got 200 transactions a day * 300 days a year that is 60.000 transactions per anno.
With the "eyes of access" : that is a lot.

And you need a Samba Server on your Linux Server - if you do it the first times it means that is additional work for you.

I would take a simple SQL solution with an User Interface made with Lazarus. I'm satisfied with MySQL - but the opinions differ.

Winni

howardpc

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4144
Re: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2019, 11:16:52 pm »
You could also look at Gestinux, an open source Lazarus ERP type application that is actively developed. It might save you weeks of coding.

https://gestinux.net/mediawiki/index.php/Using

440bx

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3944
Re: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2019, 12:12:42 am »
My question is, is an application made in Microsoft Access suitable for this kind of work?
200 transactions a day is quite light and MS Access will likely handle that kind of load with ease but, MS Access is not an "industrial strength" database system by any measure and, that can cause problems/inconveniences in some areas. 

Or should I invest my time and develop a system developed in Lazarus/Delphi/VB/Java/Python with SQL Server/MySQL/PostgreSQL as the main database?
In the long run, using one of those RDBMS is a superior solution. 

I need to make a comparison between Microsoft Access and Lazarus. Could you please help me choose between Microsoft Access or Lazarus? Which would be best for this situation?
Comparing Lazarus to MS Access doesn't really make sense because Lazarus is not an RDBMS.  You can use Lazarus to develop a system with most (maybe all) the database systems you mentioned.

Solutions that will likely serve you well in the long run are 1. Lazarus and MySQL and 2. Lazarus and Postgres, as well as others.  I mentioned those two because that way you have a solution that is entirely open source.  Also because they are very well known and would be good solutions but, there are obviously others that may be just as good. 

Personally, I like Postgres because it's an RDBMS that is "industrial strength", has many features that help optimize the database design and, it is neither directly nor indirectly influenced by the financial interests of one company.  A lot of people feel it requires more hands-on administration than other RDBMS but, for a small database like yours seems to be, the administration would be simple and unlikely to require a significant amount of time.

HTH.
« Last Edit: December 04, 2019, 12:14:40 am by 440bx »
(FPC v3.0.4 and Lazarus 1.8.2) or (FPC v3.2.2 and Lazarus v3.2) on Windows 7 SP1 64bit.

MichaelBM

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 38
Re: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2019, 08:30:28 am »
If you're using 3 computers on a LAN you should take a look at Lazarus with Firebird SQL Server.

There are many good examples on the wiki site.

I have several applications running at customers with Firebird with 2-25 clients.

Firebird does not need a dedicated server.
Development Tool: Lazarus 2.0.6 + FPC 3.0.4
Database: Firebird 2.5.7
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

tintinux

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 325
    • Gestinux
Re: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2019, 08:33:55 am »
Hi

Before creating Gestinux, I have developped softwares for points of sale or similar needs, with Access alone, or with Delphi+Access, some of them working mainly during the night.

We have had data loss, due to crash, because Access is not client-server and is not reliable enough when power supply or network is down. Not often, less than with Paradox, but once a year is even too much.

And also we have had several times to make changes in the hardware and in the software, and to buy new licences, because of evolutions of Windows, Access, Delphi requiring new drivers, more memory, et c...

MariaDb or PostgreSQL are certainly more reliable than Access, and we have had never any data loss for years, and it is possible (and necessary) to schedule a very quick on-line backup.

But developing a new software can be time consuming, far more than you can preview. Sharing an existing free software like Gestinux is indeed a good option. You could of course improve it to suit your needs.

Initiator of gestinux, open-source, multi-database and multilingual accounting and billing software made with LAZARUS.

You can help to develop, to make and improve translations, and to provide examples of legal charts and reports from more countries.

mangakissa

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1131
Re: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2019, 08:39:22 am »
MS Access can use ODBC for different databases. The access DB itself is not very friendly on multiuse.
Your restricted to Microsoft. The license of Microsoft Office with acces is very expensive per user.

If you build an application on Lazarus/ Delphi / C(++) or another development tool, you're not restricted to Windows (but Access should be working on Apple). I've got a wide range of tools.
Lazarus 2.06 (64b) / FPC 3.0.4 / Windows 10
stucked on Delphi 10.3.1

marcov

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 11383
  • FPC developer.
Re: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2019, 09:57:08 am »
I have a small CRM done in Delphi with Zeos connecting to postgres which compiles with Lazarus too (Windows and Linux, though the linux version has some quirks wrt refreshing of grids).

About 1400 customers, thousands of contacts, all no problem. Development was fairly quick, the base functionality (entities company- person - contact) was done in about a week.

We already had tried to do it in Base (the Access clone in Open Office), but that was a total nightmare, and my boss had already burned several weeks before I relented and said I'd do it in Delphi.

I never used Access myself, but I did notice that the amount of (cold start) knowledge required for non trivial access apps is underestimated. Quite often co-workersr said "just to it in access", and encouraged, a person would begin. Then, a couple of weeks/months later I'd check in, and the would be away on some Access training course. And then later again for another "advanced access" course that also included VBA.

So be a bit careful with Access success stories and try to find out if they are cold start (no prior Access knowledge) or not.
« Last Edit: December 04, 2019, 01:07:34 pm by marcov »

J-G

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 953
Re: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2019, 11:11:35 am »
Don't even think about MS ACCESS any more!

In 1980 I had a DIY/Hardware/Garden Supplies business with some 12000+ stock items and wrote a POS system using Nascom Pascal and a 170k (yes k) per side 5¼" floppy drive.

You know your business -  from that knowledge, develop your own database (I would not even consider SQL  -  or any other 'Database' solution). This way you have total control and modifications/improvements are easy to implement.   -   though creating the initial application is not a two minute job!

ie. (for me) it's a no-brainer - Lazarus is the way to go.
FPC 3.0.0 - Lazarus 1.6 &
FPC 3.2.2  - Lazarus 2.2.0 
Win 7 Ult 64

Rainbow6

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 25
Re: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« Reply #10 on: December 05, 2019, 06:48:31 pm »
The question is - is this a hobby project, because you WANT to create your own small ERP system? Or is it a business requirement and you NEED a small ERP for your business?

If you really need a stable and secure ERP system, it would be easier, to buy or rent one. There are even some open source solutions. With OSS you can even add functions you need.

If you want to develop your own system as a hobby, be prepared to invest a very large amount of time, before you have something working. Especially the database design and development is a very time consuming task.

But as most of the others already posted - just stay away from Access.

wp

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11854
Re: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« Reply #11 on: December 06, 2019, 12:24:13 am »
just stay away from Access.
I would not sign that in general. When you are on Windows the big advantage is that its DLLs come along with Windows, no need to install anything. You don't even need the MS Office on your computer to create and use an Access database using Lazarus and ODBC. Perfect for little projects such as an address book, record collection etc.

I agree with the others, though, that using it for business appears too risky.

Rainbow6

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 25
Re: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« Reply #12 on: December 07, 2019, 10:14:02 pm »
You don't even need the MS Office on your computer to create and use an Access database using Lazarus and ODBC.

Yes - I didn't want to sound too negative. You are right, as a small local data storage Access is OK. The JET engine is not bad, but I don't like the application "Access" and VBA.

But as a local DB I would tend to use SQLite nowadays, because it's completely free, open AND portable.

marcov

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 11383
  • FPC developer.
Re: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« Reply #13 on: December 07, 2019, 10:55:59 pm »
just stay away from Access.
I would not sign that in general. When you are on Windows the big advantage is that its DLLs come along with Windows, no need to install anything. You don't even need the MS Office on your computer to create and use an Access database using Lazarus and ODBC. Perfect for little projects such as an address book, record collection etc.

The OP talked about an "application made in Access", not using the JET db engine from Lazarus. That is something else.   
 

ASBzone

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 678
  • Automation leads to relaxation...
    • Free Console Utilities for Windows (and a few for Linux) from BrainWaveCC
Re: Lazarus Vs. Microsoft Access?
« Reply #14 on: December 08, 2019, 08:18:06 pm »
Hello friends!

My family owns a small store.

We have 3 computers at point of sale, 1 computer to receive payments and 2 computers at the office, to back end.

In one day, we conducted approximately 200 business transactions. I.e., in one day, the system performs approximately 200 sales transactions.

Most of these transactions take place at peak hours.

Some people have recommended me to create an ERP system using Access. But I'm unsure about that.

My question is, is an application made in Microsoft Access suitable for this kind of work? Or should I invest my time and develop a system developed in Lazarus/Delphi/VB/Java/Python with SQL Server/MySQL/PostgreSQL as the main database?

I think to help answer this question, I need to make a comparison between Microsoft Access and Lazarus. Could you please help me choose between Microsoft Access or Lazarus? Which would be best for this situation?

Thank you!

Cristiano M. M.


There are advantages to using Access for what you are discussing, but there are larger disadvantages.  I wouldn't do it or recommend it, and I've deployed several MS Access -based apps over the years.

As for the second option, while you could develop an ERP app in Lazarus, and use some other database backend, I really want to ask you if that would be a good use of your time.   There are many, many robust ERP apps today, including free ones, and those targeting small businesses.

Here are a couple of suggested products to get your search started:

https://blog.capterra.com/free-open-source-erp-software/

https://solutionsreview.com/enterprise-resource-planning/top-15-free-and-open-source-erp-solutions/

While rolling your own solution with Lazarus means that you'll have the opportunity to make exactly what you want, you might not want to reinvent that wheel -- especially if you've never invented that particular wheel before.

-ASB
-ASB: https://www.BrainWaveCC.com/

Lazarus v2.2.7-ada7a90186 / FPC v3.2.3-706-gaadb53e72c
(Windows 64-bit install w/Win32 and Linux/Arm cross-compiles via FpcUpDeluxe on both instances)

My Systems: Windows 10/11 Pro x64 (Current)

 

TinyPortal © 2005-2018