(This article was updated in August 2018 for use with Visual Studio 2017.)
Moving Beyond Microsoft Access
I’ve written a lot about Microsoft Access over the years and still believe it’s a great training ground for people who want to learn to design database applications. Its user-friendly interface provides an easy learning curve and introduction to the basics of relational databases, data entry forms and report design. If you want to get serious about programming, however, it’s important to expand your skillset beyond Access with tools that are in demand by potential employers and customers.
One of these tools is Microsoft Visual Studio, the development suite that provides access to the .NET family of languages including C# and VB.NET. With Visual Studio, you can create a variety of professional applications from Windows form applications to websites powered by ASP.NET. While Microsoft Access provides some impressive tools for the office power user and even some full-time programmers, Visual Studio is the next step up the development ladder. It enables professional programmers to design any type of solution without being tied to a Microsoft Office installation and without the limitations of the Windows desktop. A couple quick searches of sites like CareerBuilder.com will show you the kind of jobs and salaries that knowledge of Visual Studio can lead to as opposed to Microsoft Access.