Access 97 is a powerful development tool for client/server systems. It is especially useful for creating departmental or small business systems or for quickly prototyping a system. What is more, Access is easier to learn and use than other tools because all the pieces (such as the database and report generator) are integrated into the development environment. So if you are looking to get started in client/server programming, Access is a good way to go. In fact, at the end of the first four chapters (just 157 pages), you will be writing your first true client/server application, using Access as the front-end and DAO as the data access method. The data itself can be in an Access database or in an ODBC database such as SQL Server whose tables are linked to Access tables. Then, the remaining ten chapters make you a more proficient programmer, as you learn how to: build sophisticated forms and do more complex database processing using DAO; handle the database processing using ODBCDirect instead of DAO; enhance the user interface with a splash screen, menus, toolbars, and online help; develop reports using Access' built-in report generator; use class modules and ActiveX components (you can't create these in Access, but your applications can use them); and test, debug, and deploy an application on the clients.