What language, RAD, environment etc to use?
Steve Cox
I know this could start a flame war but the requesting is honest... I'm
really after pointers to design method rather than abc v3.5 etc
First a bit of background. I haven't programmed for say, 10 ten years and
then it was C and Pascal. I'm looking into building a particular type of
application and so I'm asking for pointers as to which tools, design
methods, type of RAD etc....
The applicaiton is database based. This is to be shared between about half
dozen network client applications and maybe some 'read only' client which
view the data rather than modify it.
I want to keep the network traffic down as low as possible so it's thin
clients.
Now the client itself will manipulate the data via the usual forms etc but
there are a couple of types of views/manipulations that may have an impact
- if, say, the solution is to be a client delivered as a web page.
1. The ability to display an image - say a floor plan - and locate
identifiable points on it that can be dragged and dropped, like tables,
chairs etc.
2. Graphical bar representaions of timelines that can be dragged and
resized by mouse
3. Tree views etc
Now, from what i can see there are a few design methods that could do this
but I'm after opinions on suitablilty and particularly speed etc.
1. Remote database with local clients apps.
A lot of the work is done by the client itself - to minimize network
traffic, the database should be SQL client-server but could all of the
server side work be done via stored procedures etc.
2. Remote database and middle tier server (with thin client)
As above but with the intermediary server to cut down on client side
processing. Now, how how complex should this middle tier be in terms of
the application requirement. Particularly.
a. web applicaton server: The client then becomes just a browser but would
this be total overkill for the situation (6 clients)? Would the client be
too slow? would the above GUI requirements be possible via html?
b. Transaction Server / Object broker. As far as I can gather, these would
create the interface between the client and database - including some
processing function. Is this overkill? Would this be too slow or increase
network traffic?
Hopefully, the server would be as near to a 'black-box' device as possible
- "just plug into your network and go". - hence a web broswer client
solution would be nice if the gui is possible and it's not too slow.
The component cost needs to be as low as possible so full MS
SQLserver2000 / Oracle solution etc may be too expensive.
The clients will most probably be Windows boxes but there's a possibility
for handhelds in the future etc.
The database server could certainly be non-MS - What are thoughts on
Inprise Internbase on Linux?. Could Java be of any use on the app server
side or will this be too slow or overkill?
What RADs would be best for any sugested solutions? I haven't got too
greater budget but I don't want to jepodise the project by going for a
cheap development solution
All ideas more than welcome.
Thanks
stevec AT canaries DOT co DOT uk