On: Microsoft Access: The Database Software That Won't...

[mamcx]

My dream is to build a modern take of the fox/dbase family. I starting with the inner language

http://tablam.org

Access, as concept, is great. Is exactly what many need.

But it have a lot of small deficiencies that make it disliked by developers. I have used FoxPro, and it have almost all the right things instead (Fox is Access, but goooood!... except a bit less user friendly).

I wish I could dedicate to build this. Is weird to me why this kind of tool have so little support?

[taffer → mamcx]

I really like the idea of developing a modern Access alternative, but why are you trying to create a new language? Aren't QBE and SQL sufficient?

Why not something that is like a cloud SaaS version of Access, but can be extended with some procedures and later used as a GraphQL backend like Hasura?

[codeulike → taffer]

Salesforce is (among other things) basically a cloud SaaS version of Access. And people pay a lot of money for it. See my other comment https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21403393

[taffer → codeulike]

True, when I think about what I've seen, what people are building with Access and what people are building with Salesforce, there's a lot of overlap.

[mamcx → taffer]

SQL/GraphQL are query languages. Good for that, but not for fully develop an app.

FoxPro have his own language that allow mix SQL and imperative constructs:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_FoxPro

This mean:

* You code login in foxpro

* And the stored procedures

* And the forms

* And the reports

* And the script glues

* ....

"Just" adding SQL/GraphQL to a RDBMS is absolutely not enough. Both are too limited.

For example:

- Can you build a btree with SQL? No

- Work with the terminal? No

- Make a visual grid? No

- etc

Only query and maybe crud.

[antod → mamcx]

There was a FoxPro inspired Python tool I remember from about 10-15yrs back: https://dabodev.com/

A bit more coding than Access, but it was DB independent on the backend.

Looks like nothing has happened on it for quite a while though.

[gonzus → mamcx]

If you come from the dBase / Clipper experience, then Harbour could be considered a more modern version => https://github.com/harbour/core