Re: Application using PostgreSQL as a back end (experienced programmers please)

Hi Daniel:

Thanks for the quick response.

I intend to do this in Linux, using all open source software. I'm not too
concerned with getting it to run in Windows. I only use Windows at work and
only rarely do I boot into it at home. I hope to eventually give back
something of some value to the open source community. If I can create a
useful Linux application at home that is applicable to work, maybe sometime
in the future I can get Linux on a desktop at work. We currently have Linux
as a file server at work for backup, but all the desktop machines run
Windows. Sorry I wasn't clear about this in my initial post.

As for my thought style, I tend to think mathematically and structurally
(everything has it's place). After all I'm an accountant, who does a lot of
income tax work for clients :-). Ideally I would like a development
environment where I can create forms with text box, combo box and list box
widgets, something like MS Access or PgAccess but offering a little more
power and control.

Are any of the languages or environments I mentioned suitable for this? My
initial thought is that a web interface would be a little too limiting. I
would expect my users to be able to install without an expert.

Thanks.

Regards,
Bill Dika

On 11/12/05, Daniel Staal <DStaal(at)usa(dot)net> wrote:
>
> --As of Saturday, November 12, 2005 1:58 PM -0500, Bill Dika is alleged to
> have said:
>
>
> > My Problem:
> >
> > I have introductory books on Python, Perl and Tcl/Tk. I feel comfortable
>
> > setting up the database in PostgreSQL, but in creating the GUI front
> end,
> > I'm not sure how to invest my time. Should I use Tcl/Tk, Python with
> > Tkinter or wxPython (using BOA Constructor?), Perl with ???. Which will
> > get me most productive in the shortest amount of time (considering I'm
> > not a programmer). Which combination works best with PostgreSQL? I
> expect
> > the income tax program to be computationally intensive but I also expect
>
> > most of this computation to take place in PostgreSQL and not the front
> > end.
>
> --As for the rest, it is mine.
>
> (I'm not sure if this is the best list for this question, but I can't
> think
> of a better one to refer you to.)
>
> What type of front end are you considering using? Web-based? Native
> Windows? Cross-platform? If want to build one, would another type be
> useful/possible later?
>
> How do you intend to have people use the program? Install it themselves?
> Run a web-service? Have an expert install it for them?
>
> Just trying to get some idea of the direction you intend to go with the
> program. You could go with Visual Basic (or it's close cousin, RealBASIC),
> as a first suggestion. That would allow you to use your current
> programming knowledge easily. You just treat PostgreSQL as another OBDC
> data source.
>
> I like some of the above languages, but they and others have strengths and
>
> weaknesses for different purposes, and for different thought styles. Which
> is best for your project will depend on the project and yourself.
>
> Daniel T. Staal
>
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