# I'm an Excel Guru..... now what?



## Irish_Griffin (Oct 1, 2010)

Hi Forum !

Happy Friday.... almost through another work week!!  Yay!  

So heres the deal, I kick *** at excel, VBA, ADO and SQL combo.  I've made a couple database programs that use an excel sheet to display and modify the data.  

Obviously excel VBA isn't the best choice for buisness process software.... so I want to advance to a new language for the next big software project.

What is the best software for online databases that have medium complexity user interfaces ?

C Sharp .NET  ?
Python ?
PHP ?

Please share your opinions.

Peace,
Griff


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## Irish_Griffin (Oct 1, 2010)

Ok, before I get mobbed, I'm no guru.... but I still want to move beyond excel at this point  =-)


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## RoryA (Oct 1, 2010)

C# is probably the most flexible.


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## Darren Bartrup (Oct 1, 2010)

We have a couple of C# developers in my office and their payslip is delivered in a wheelbarrow if that helps.


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## Richard Schollar (Oct 1, 2010)

Delmar D'Percy said:


> We have a couple of C# developers in my office and their payslip is delivered in a wheelbarrow if that helps.



You mean you pay them in carrots and cabbages?  Bad career move then if you ask me


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## Irish_Griffin (Oct 1, 2010)

Richard Schollar said:


> You mean you pay them in carrots and cabbages?  Bad career move then if you ask me




My goal is to become a consultant one day....

1) Go into an office
2) Interview employees
3) Establish business process and logic flow
4) Draft up the software in some Universal Code Languae ( name ??? )
5) Outsource the code work online
6) Launch Beta and see to office implementation

I don't want ot be the coder, but I do need to understand the language  =-)

Coding is to much indoors, in front of the comp screen work.... I need to engage people, and walk around more.


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## RoryA (Oct 1, 2010)

Irish_Griffin said:


> I need to engage people, and walk around more.



Oh Lord! Who let a "people person" in here??


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## Irish_Griffin (Oct 1, 2010)

rorya said:


> Oh Lord! Who let a "people person" in here??




Haha, we have a way of sneaking in 

Any advise on my game plan from the experienced would be AMAZING 

Peace,
Griff


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## VoG (Oct 2, 2010)

So you want to be a salesman and understand the intricacies of programming in multiple languages?

*** Does not compute ***


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## Jon von der Heyden (Oct 3, 2010)

Richard Schollar said:


> You mean you pay them in carrots and cabbages?  Bad career move then if you ask me



I grew up on a diary farm.  And it wasn't carrots and cabbages that we ferried about in wheelbarrows


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## Richard Schollar (Oct 3, 2010)

Jon von der Heyden said:


> I grew up on a diary farm.  And it wasn't carrots and cabbages that we ferried about in wheelbarrows



Well yes: bloody heavy some diaries - especially if multiple year ones


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## Domski (Oct 3, 2010)

Jon von der Heyden said:


> I grew up on a diary farm.



That'll be one of them strange Somerset accents you've developed? It's dairy where I'm from 

Dom


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## Domski (Oct 3, 2010)

Irish_Griffin said:


> My goal is to become a consultant one day....
> 
> ...I don't want ot be the coder, but I do need to understand the language  =-)



- watch The IT Crowd
- go on a course with management or IT in the title
- connect with your inner geek
- make sure you own a filofax *and* a pda
- learn to play golf
- lose all your friends

Good luck!!!

Dom


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## DonkeyOte (Oct 3, 2010)

Domski said:


> watch The IT Crowd



Dom, you've reminded me of 2 of my favourite IT crowd sketches...

"IT manager" being duped by staff: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDbyYGrswtg

followed up by IT manager's subsequent presentation to the board:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrQUWUfmR_I&feature=related


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## Cindy Ellis (Oct 8, 2010)

Domski said:


> - watch The IT Crowd


Until I watched the clips you mentioned, I thought you meant to watch people in IT and do what they do !!?!
Is IT Crowd a series in the UK?  It's brilliant!


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## Domski (Oct 10, 2010)

Looks like it has been shown in the states and they thought about making a US version:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_IT_Crowd

Dom


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## DonkeyOte (Oct 10, 2010)

It is a great show ... I wasn't too keen when it started but I think it's got better and better... 

My all-time favourite clip has to be: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2-hNO392_E those that have seen the episode in question (re: Street Countdown) will be amused ... those that haven't might not "get it".


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## alansidman (Oct 11, 2010)

Just watched the first three episodes on Netflix instant viewing.  Can't wait to watch more of the IT Crowd.  Thanks guys for the intro.

Alan


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## Michael M (Oct 11, 2010)

I'm with Cindy
That is so funny.
I haven't seen it here in Aus yet !!


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## Domski (Oct 12, 2010)

I've only ever seen a few episodes, always made me giggle when I did though.

Dom


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## RobMatthews (Oct 12, 2010)

Michael M said:


> I'm with Cindy
> That is so funny.
> I haven't seen it here in Aus yet !!


 
It's on tonight at 9 on the ABC1, I think (Brisbane, anyway).


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## Michael M (Oct 12, 2010)

Thanks Rob
I'm in Country NSW, so it could be on at 3 in the morning !!!!!
But I'll check the guide


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## AlanWade (Oct 30, 2010)

Jon von der Heyden said:


> I grew up on a diary farm.  And it wasn't carrots and cabbages that we ferried about in wheelbarrows




ROFL, shovelled a bit meself back in my day.................


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## xld (Nov 3, 2010)

DonkeyOte said:


> It is a great show ... I wasn't too keen when it started but I think it's got better and better...



Personally, I find it pathetically unfunny. It just runs the standard plot, a few socially challenged (but of course, the true savvies in reality!) weirdies, a typically incompetent management, and a lot of sterotypical situations. Nothing very clever there. Reminds me of that rubbishy US 'comedy' with a bunch of geeks, cannot remember the name but the lad who went out with Darlene in Roseanne is in it; that is equally unfunny.


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## DonkeyOte (Nov 3, 2010)

xld said:


> Reminds me of that rubbishy US 'comedy' with a bunch of geeks, cannot remember the name but the lad who went out with Darlene in Roseanne is in it; that is equally unfunny.



Bob, you're referring to the "The Big Bang Theory" ... I'm surprised you don't like that I'd have had you done as a cross between Sheldon & Wolowitz... just kidding !!

You'll be no doubt glad to know a new series of TBBT starts tomorrow night on E4... I'm sure you'll be setting your reminder accordingly 

(and yes - I like that too - I even have the box set!)


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## RoryA (Nov 3, 2010)

Snap. I think some of Sheldon's one-liners are excellent.


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## xld (Nov 3, 2010)

DonkeyOte said:


> Bob, you're referring to the "The Big Bang Theory" ... I'm surprised you don't like that I'd have had you done as a cross between Sheldon & Wolowitz... just kidding !!
> 
> You'll be no doubt glad to know a new series of TBBT starts tomorrow night on E4... I'm sure you'll be setting your reminder accordingly
> 
> (and yes - I like that too - I even have the box set!)



That's the one. I am afraid I am not familiar enough with the show to know which one is Sheldon or Wolowitz, or what they are like, so the reference passes over me .

Now if only I could get a nerd somewhere to show me how to program the recorder I would be able to watch it at my leisure ... oh well!

Now, The Beiderbecke Trilogy is beautifully funny IMO, understated, warm, and using a jazz and football motif throughout. James Bolam, Baraba Flynn and Dudley Sutton are superb in it.


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## Sandeep Warrier (Nov 4, 2010)

rorya said:


> Snap. I think some of Sheldon's one-liners are excellent.



I agree!

TBBT is one of the most funniest shows I've seen in a long time.

Unfortunately(?) I haven't seen much of the British comedies mentioned in the earlier posts [am familiar with Yes Minister/Prime Minister, Mind Your Language, Coupling and a few more]...


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## snowblizz (Nov 4, 2010)

xld said:


> That's the one. I am afraid I am not familiar enough with the show to know which one is Sheldon or Wolowitz, or what they are like, so the reference passes over me .


Sheldon is the hyper-intelligent, anal-about-everything, know-it-all-that-has-to-be-correct-because-he-always-is. He's so "socially inept" he might as well not be human. He once argued that he was in fact the next step in human evolution. His lines are epic.

Wolowitz is the "womenizier" of the nerds, now he's not exactly getting anything, but he sure does try hard. Never does understand why his efforts doesn't pan out.

The Big Band Theory is one of the best things I've seen come out of america these last few years. Yes, they are all stereotypes, but who on TV isn't that? To me this feels "by nerds for nerds" so they got that right at least. 

We all have a little Sheldon, Wolowitz and Raj in us and Leonard is of course the one we want to be (and sympathize with), the only one at least semi-coherent of the bunch.

And trust me you're not going to get a nerd to program your recorder if you tell them you don't like TBBT!

Third season just started around here, 2 episodes back to back on Mondays. It's what keeps me sane getting up on Monday morning and sustains me through the day.
Can't wait to learn why Sheldon is learning Finnish...


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## RoryA (Nov 4, 2010)

My wife says I _am_ Sheldon. I think it's for the last two of the traits you mention, sadly (plus the general social ineptitude).


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## DonkeyOte (Nov 4, 2010)

rorya said:


> My wife says I _am_ Sheldon. I think it's for the last two of the traits you mention, sadly (plus the general social ineptitude).



Ditto... all the bad traits and none of the intelligence!

I think there is more of Wolowitz in all of us than we would care to admit !

The Wolowitz Coefficient
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4CYSHV84jY&feature=related


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## xld (Nov 4, 2010)

DonkeyOte said:


> Bob, you're referring to the "The Big Bang Theory" ... I'm surprised you don't like that I'd have had you done as a cross between Sheldon & Wolowitz... just kidding !!



I have just been likened to English Bob in The Unforgiven on Twitter. I don't think anyone understands me!


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## snowblizz (Nov 4, 2010)

rorya said:


> My wife says I _am_ Sheldon. I think it's for the last two of the traits you mention, sadly (plus the general social ineptitude).


You're the next step in human evolution and have really good dialogue?
She shouldn't be complaining, but praising you! 

And I'm pretty sure we all have a bit Wolowitz in us too. Perish the thought.

I think that's why it is so good, the characters represent to me the tiny microcosmos of the mind. Leonard is what generally runs the brain but every once so often of the other guys takes charge.

The Sheldon character is also very well acted and written, I totally buy that there could be someone like him. And yes, I'm afraid that now and then that person is I.
I even feel sorry for Sheldon sometimes, it's not easy when everyone around you seems to be acting like a screaming baboon randomly climbing the walls or something.


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## Sandeep Warrier (Nov 4, 2010)

snowblizz said:


> Third season just started around here, 2 episodes back to back on Mondays. It's what keeps me sane getting up on Monday morning and sustains me through the day.
> Can't wait to learn why Sheldon is learning Finnish...



You will enjoy the last episode in Season 3


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## Domski (Nov 4, 2010)

xld said:


> I have just been likened to English Bob in The Unforgiven on Twitter. I don't think anyone understands me!



I'd liken you to SpongeBob 

Dom


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## Irish_Griffin (Nov 4, 2010)

So thanks for all the input on my next career move guys......

I'll start watching "The Big Bang Theory" tonight.   




But seriously, I've started researching Python with the goal of becoming a freelance coder for small businesses.  F%^$ coding for big corporations.  Everything they do is stupid because the people making the decisions know poop about databases.

Peace Out,
Griff


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## Joe4 (Nov 4, 2010)

I think my favorite TBBT theory scene was when Sheldon was trying to reach out to his "arch nemesis" by inviting him out to some sort of social outing over the phone. He gets caught in an infinite loop, and Wolowitz has to diagram an error trap/exit for him on his whiteboard to end the phone call. 

Classic!  I'm sure many of us programmers appreciated that humor!


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## DonkeyOte (Nov 4, 2010)

Talking of programmers humour...

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/regular_expressions.png


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## xenou (Nov 26, 2010)

If you are interested in Python (and Excel) you might find this guy inspiring:
http://blog.gobansaor.com/2008/04/11/python-the-new-vba/


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