Customer Reviews

Access 2000 Fast and Easy (Fast & Easy (Premier Press))

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you swear by the "......for Dummies" genre of self-help books then Microsoft Access 2000: Fast & Easy is it for you. Personally, I don't find books like these worth the paper they are written on. If you have any experience with Microsoft Office software, then you will most probably find the first 10 to 12 chapters (that's almost half the book! ) absolutely useless since it takes you through most stuff that are pretty intuitive for past MS software users (for example, using the "find/ replace" function, resizing datasheet rows, etc.). Books like these tells you what the individual keys on the toolbar do but they don't really teach you, for example, how to build an Access database or how to get the most out of a program like Access. Everything is explained in a rather cursory fashion. If you want a good comprehensive book on Access then go and get a copy of Running Access 2000 (Microsoft Press)...which is probably what I should have done in the first place .....unfortunately, I had no clue about the "....Fast & Easy" series of books previously. Running Access 2000 is more expensive and yes, there are a whole lot more words in there (more 500 pages long, I think! ) but if you are like me and would like to know what a database can do and how you can build one then I think it might be a good investment. I'm sure there are better books other than Running Access 2000 so do look around before rushing out to buy this book....I am, in fact, looking for such a book myself and have only read through a little of Running Access 2000 in the bookstores but I liked what I saw. However, I've decided to be more cautious now and have not yet bought the book until I am truly certain that it provides good value for money.....once bitten twice shy, I guess.

This is my third book in the Fast & Easy series and they've all been very helpful to me, a novice computer user. If you're not technical, yet have to use computers for your job like I do, this series is a good choice. This book explained database concepts to me that other books assumed I already knew. The first review of this book is a bit unfair. It sounds like the author wanted an advanced book, got a beginners book instead, and is now blaming the entire series. If you're a techie, get another Access book. If you need to start at the beginning with a program, give Fast & Easy a try.

This book is a good choice for beginners like me. I found it easier than some of the other books on Access that targeted more techie users. By showing me step-by-step what to do, I didn't get lost or confused.

If you have used other Office programs before and want to save a few bucks just go through Access's online help and explore with Access to figure how to do the simple stuff. This book has the same explanations and walkthrough you can get from the Access help menu. I prefer reading out of a book rather than on a computer screen however so the book was OK for me. This is really basic stuff, browsing through the book for an hour gave me all the basic knowledge I needed.

If you want a more detailed and advanced book get Que's Special Edition Using Acess 2000