Re: Application Development with PostgreSQL

On Sun, 2003-05-04 at 22:37, Josh Berkus wrote:
> Ron,
>
> > And these are also important issues!
> >
> > Using Python/Perl/Java (am I missing one?) would mitigate platform
> > dependence.
>
> Yes. But she was comparing rapid app dev kits, not programming languages;
> Delphi and VB are fast GUI-builders.

True.

> > Wouldn't these (especially 3 & 5) be solved by Terminal Services.
> > #3 would also be partly (or totally, with some care) solved by having
> > the app residing on a network drive.
>
> Yes. But if you're going to do that, why bother with client-side
> programming? I suppose if your app needs advantages 1 & 2, I guess ...
>
> And applying app changes across sessions on a terminal server is still
> significantly more trouble than applying a change to a web app. With a PHP
> app, you just save the new file in /wwwroot, and bang! It's applied to all
> users.

#1 & #2 are important many times.

While TS might not be perfect, putting an app out on a network drive is
also pretty easy. Next time you come in to work, there's your new
version.

> > > 6) Vastly more cumbersome external access for work-from-home users.
> >
> > How so? I'd think that "traditional" C/S would be faster, because
> > certain "objects" can be intelligently cached by the client, on
> > start-up, for example. Don't look-up lists have to be sent across
> > the wire every time on web pages?
>
> If you want home access to a client side app, you have to mess with VPNs and
> firewalls and/or remote terminal services. Ever try providing support for
> 150 user with gods know what running on their home machines, along with more
> viruses than megabytes of ram? (we had a fun conversation when the IT dept
> at one client got a phone call from a staff member who couldn't figure out
> how to install Mozilla. Turns out the staffer had an Amiga)

Heck, I use a VPN every day as a telecommuter.

There's gonna be idiot users everywhere, no matter how simple you make
it...

> For a web app, you just route a path from the web server to the internet.
> Then tell the user to use a brower. Very easy.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not a big fan of pumping everything
through port 80. (This is where Web Services really scares me.)

> From my perspective, the age of the "thin client" is here.

It's here alright, but "thin client" doesn't *equate* to web-based
interaction.

Thank goodness for LAPP (linux, apache, postgresql, php) but it's
not the solution to every on-line system.

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