General development
The picture below represents the present development when it comes to what is set in focus with and for Excel (at least from my point of view).

In the late 80’s to the mid 90’s the focus was basically set to Excel itself and everyone was pleased to cut & paste as a process for data exchange between Excel and other softwares in a combination with DDE.

From late 90’s the interest and the needs to exchange data through automation and also to control different softwares have rapidly increased. When adding the rapid development of databases, different kind of servers and development tools the picture itself become more complex and reflect a major diversity.

ExcelKB’s Forum
For a longer time I had been thinking of setting up a new international discussion forum. In the end of last year I finally decided to launch a forum that to some extend reflect the above roadmap. In addition, it reflects to a high degree what I nowadays find to be of interest.

What ExcelKB’s Forum is about:

• Discussions about software based projects and documentation, both in general terms and more specific projects terms – Best Practical Practice.
• Controlling Excel through automation with developing tools like classic VB and VB.NET/VSTO et al.
• Data exchange between databases (MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL et al), and Excel.
• Discussions about commercial and free components that improve application’s usability and performance, like ComponenOne, Iocomp and Robocx.
• Books and online sources that is relevant for the above subjects.

There are some aspects that are important to me and therefore will be valid at ExcelKB’s Forum:
• No banners or ads will exist.
• No ranking system will exist and no titles/badges will be associated with any particular group of members.
• No Lounge will be available.
• Only real full names can be used for member’s accounts, i e no alias can be used.

The ExcelKB’s Forum will not “compete” with the established online public core Excel forums or with Excel related Microsoft’s Newsgroup. ExcelKB’s Forum does not target to become one of the many general Q&A forums about Excel as it target only specific areas.

If You find the target areas of interest then I recommend You to become a member. If You believe that You have no particular interest in them then I strongly suggest that You bookmark the ExcelKB’s Forum and visit it as a guest and perhaps later become a member.

Link to it: ExcelKB’s Forum
Kind regards,
Dennis