wanting to move up from ms access, thinking .net? visual studio? [closed]

Question

So I wrote a project-management program for a small business using Microsoft Access 2007.

Now they've requested lots of additional features (timekeeping, privileged data tiers ...)

I personally use Linux, but the whole office uses Windows.

I'm relatively new to programming but like to teach myself using projects like this.

I'm right on the edge on this -- I can't really tell what the path of least resistance here is: do I stay in access + VBA and teach myself a dying, annoying language -- while struggling against all the limitations of Access? Or do I move to something else?

Python seems simple enough ... Whatever I use, i need to be able to offer a GUI.

screenshot so you can get the jist: http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/9360/screenshot1fi.jpg

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/7338/screenshotmh.jpg

-- notes: current access project uses seperate frontend-backend for multiuser sharing over a LAN

cross compatibility with linux is not that important to me, i've been using virtualbox for a while now.

--UPDATE-- my wanderings have convinced me that i should proceed in IronPython -- however -- as I try to install the suite in both XP and 7, and fail ... I wonder if this also is something outdated ... most importantly, iv'e been reading up on it and I LOVE PYTHON 3 -- but i need to offer a GUI for Windows not sure where to start with that (including which IDE to use, etc)

Answer 1

In an environment like that, you can't go wrong with VB/C#. Try the various VS Express editions.

If you want something that will translate to Linux a little more, Python and just about any cross-platform GUI framework(QT, or wxpython) would work.

EDIT: Then there's the database. I would probably suggest sqlite if you want to learn something cross platform. Sticking in the Microsoft world, there's SQL server compact.

In a business environment like that, a .NET app is probably more maintainable(after you're gone, etc) then anything that's not completely Microsoft.