Title: Grist: A free, open-source, point-and-click database system for your small projects
Time: 13 Mar 2025 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Place: Online Zoom meeting only; see description
Presented by Brendan Kidwell
Have you ever been frustrated with your spreadsheet program, fighting with cell formats when you just want to enter data, or not understanding how to link two spreadsheet tables to each other? Did you use Microsoft Access in the past, and don’t want to use it now because it hasn’t been updated in decades and doesn’t run on Linux?
In this presentation we’ll take a look at Grist, a “low-code” database product that anyone can use to organize hobby, home, or business work. We’ll cover:
- What is a relational database and why would you want to use one?
- Differences between spreadsheets and relational databases.
- How to install Grist.
- What kinds of projects can be done in Grist, and when would you want to use a more advanced system instead?
- Building a solution with Grist: “my home media collection”
If you want to check it out before the presentation: See Grist’s web site ( https://www.getgrist.com/ ), the Documentation ( https://support.getgrist.com/ ), and download the all-in-one Desktop build of the application for your platform ( https://github.com/gristlabs/grist-desktop/releases ).
We’ll make the full script of the talk and the demo “my home media collection” database available for download to get you started with learning how Grist works in your own time after the presentation.
At least half an hour before the meeting, please email David Metzger ( dbmetzger@yahoo.com ) and Brendan Kidwell ( brendan@glump.net ) to request joining the NYACC meeting. One of them will send you instructions to join our Zoom meeting from desktop computer, laptop, mobile device, or from a phone call. PLEASE REMEMBER TO MUTE YOUR MICROPHONE WHEN YOU ARE NOT SPEAKING.
Don't forget we also have a new BBS and chat room you can use to connect with NYACC members any time, outside of our meetings:
BBS: https://nyacctalk.glump.net/
Chat room: https://webchat.freenode.net/#nyacc
Contact Brendan Kidwell ( brendan@glump.net ) if you have any trouble using the BBS or chat room.
:: ABOUT NYACC ::
http://nyacc.org/
calendar: https://gettogether.community/new-york-amateur-computer-club/
The New York Amateur Computer Club was established in March 1975 with the mission to further education in diverse areas of personal computing. The presentations at monthly meetings cover various platform computing systems and range from in-depth technical subjects to general overviews with broad appeal.
General meetings are always held on the second Thursday of each month and start promptly at 7 PM with announcements followed by a period of Questions and Answers called Random Access in which members and visitors are encouraged to ask technical questions or ask for advice on purchasing or using software, hardware, and related issues. There is a short break before the main presentation to enable attendees to meet and greet each other and to buttonhole people to get more detailed answers to specific questions. As an alternate to the main meeting, if a few people are interested, a new- or prospective-user group meeting is held to assist beginners.
The general meetings are open without charge to the public. Please consider becoming a member for $20 per year or renewing your membership, to help cover our operating costs. See instructions at nyacc.org .