Generic Phrases

what are RAD technologies please? (And have I used them?)?

'Microsoft RAD technologies such as MS Access' This phrase appeared in a job advert. I have done a bit in Access - but I don't understand the reference to RAD which I presume means Rapid Application Development. Is RAD something I would have to learn separately (like another language/application) or a piece of generic jargon?

Public Comments

1. It's a development process. You won't need to learn another language or probably any other application but you'll want to understand the methodology behind it.
2. RAD is as you say Rapid Application Development. It is usually a classification of the technology used in development and not something you have to learn. It may refer to knowing how to use such tools as Visual Studio and Access more than anything else.
3. Drag&drop development. You drag objects onto a form, then write underlying code. By itself, RAD is meaningless, unless they specify a language. The best C++ programmer would be a little lost in a Perl RAD environment. It's like asking for a proofreader, where the language could be any of dozens, and not specifying which language you want the person to know. If that's how the company specifies jobs, I wouldn't want to work for them - they'll specify tasks like that too - and expect you to accomplish them without asking for details. (Which can't be done, unless you also know how to read minds.)
4. RAD is just generic jargon; specifying the kind of development process that turns out fast; ordinary programming cannot achieve such turn out because it need some manual processes that relates to programming efficiency.