Not bad for two hours

Instead of dwelling on the uselessness of the human race, I decided to do some groundwork for a new project, that may be starting up next week. It involves a SQL Server database, for which the client wishes to have a separate reporting/analysis front-end, from the public face (which is already handled by a canned application).

So, in the past 2 hours, I managed to:

1) Download and install Microsoft's free SQL Server Express and its separate management tool on my laptop.

2) Using the management tool, built a new database with one table.

3) Using Access wizards, built an html data access page that displays the table, permitting updates and deletions.

4) Built a separate Access application, with a standard Access form, to display the table and permit any kind of programatic manipulation that anyone could dream up.

5) Played around with Windows Services, to convince myself that I know all I need to do about starting and stopping SQL Server on my laptop.

6) Go to the Multnomah County Library web site, and put on hold 4 books about ASP.NET development.

Next step will be to start up Visual Studio and see how easy it is to do a VB application that does the same thing as the Access application. Once that's done, I feel like I'll have all the tools in place, to begin actual work on the new project, next week.

I feel better already - maybe it's the coffee in my bloodstream, and the Beethoven on the radio.