Use 16-bit Microsoft Access as a frontend with SQL Server as a backend through ODBC.
Using Access as a frontend with SQL Server as a backend isn't anything new, but I was curious when did Microsoft first support this?
If I am not misreading Wikipedia, linking directly to data stored in databases started in Access 2007 as stated here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Access#Import_or_link_sources
But I don't believe that. Time to put that to the test with a 16-bit version of Access!
I tried Access 2.0 (on Windows For Workgroups 3.11) and tried to link to a table in SQL Server 7 on NT 4. All the features seemed present but I kept getting ODBC errors and spent days attempting so many configurations. I tried Access 97 on NT 3.51 with SQL Server 7 on NT 4 and still, ODBC errors even with all the latest service packs. The pairing would have worked with Access 97 on NT 4 and SQL Server 7 on NT 4 I bet! But I didn't bother trying that as I wanted to get as retro as I possible can, but I was too chicken to go Access 1.0 and thought Access 2.0 would be cool to try.
I finally got it working with the following pairing and everything just worked immediately on a first try:
Access 2.0 on Windows for Workgroups 3.11
SQL Server 6.0 on Windows NT 3.51
I mean wow, 16-bit Access as a front end for SQL Server 6.0 for a 1990s client-server office experience.
Turn up the techno.
Lessons learned: Sometimes you have to just match up the eras.
If I am not misreading Wikipedia, linking directly to data stored in databases started in Access 2007 as stated here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Access#Import_or_link_sources
But I don't believe that. Time to put that to the test with a 16-bit version of Access!
I tried Access 2.0 (on Windows For Workgroups 3.11) and tried to link to a table in SQL Server 7 on NT 4. All the features seemed present but I kept getting ODBC errors and spent days attempting so many configurations. I tried Access 97 on NT 3.51 with SQL Server 7 on NT 4 and still, ODBC errors even with all the latest service packs. The pairing would have worked with Access 97 on NT 4 and SQL Server 7 on NT 4 I bet! But I didn't bother trying that as I wanted to get as retro as I possible can, but I was too chicken to go Access 1.0 and thought Access 2.0 would be cool to try.
I finally got it working with the following pairing and everything just worked immediately on a first try:
Access 2.0 on Windows for Workgroups 3.11
SQL Server 6.0 on Windows NT 3.51
I mean wow, 16-bit Access as a front end for SQL Server 6.0 for a 1990s client-server office experience.
Turn up the techno.
Lessons learned: Sometimes you have to just match up the eras.