Re: MS Access v's Visual Basic v's Forms5

We have been using Des2K to generate VB for almost 2 years. We have what is essentially a three tier application, though the second tier runs on Winframe servers with a couple of thousand winframe clients actually using the application across the enterprise (I have heard it suggested that this architecture is more akin to two tier). We have generated over 4 million lines of VB code quite successfully and in very rapid fashion. We managed to deploy the first version of a brand new product (at 3.2 million lines of code) in only seven months with a development team of six. We use the generated VB as a baseline, which is then 'cleaned up' by our VB programmers, to allow us to use all of the third party controls etc that we desire.

Keep in mind we have some very good VB people and drive the whole operation from Des2K (don't start a large Oracle job without it!). I would recommend VB as an excellent front end to an Oracle database - though I have heard quite a few comments that seem to suggest that Delphi may be even better.

Generated VB allowed us to produce everything quickly (our main pre-requisite) with an interface that is 'current' with NT4. Our users didn't like the Forms look and feel and we could not have retained our staff if we had even thought about suggesting maybe investigating using MS Access.

Access just doesn't cut it, and carrier a lot of baggage that you won't need in developing for Oracle. Forms is good, and obviously optimised to be used with Oracle server. VB and probably Delphi offer you power and flexibility and are both excellent tools in a RAD environment. Both can cover almost any situation and excellent connectivity across the enterprise with COM (and Delphi via CORBA as well). VB has the added advantage of being generated from Des2K.

However, there is another option. Have you investigated Oracle Application server and its various packages? If you are basically looking at a whole new development environment or already have an intraweb it could be the way to go.

Hope I haven't confused the issue.

Rod Stewart

Ray Dowling wrote in message <6uhant$lo$1_at_news.mel.aone.net.au>...
>We are currently evaluating development tools for corporate applications.
We
>would like a microsoft look at the desktop with the Oracle Server database.
>I am confident that Oracle Forms5 will perform but it has been suggested
>that we look to the Microsoft Products. I am concerned with 2 tier
>architecture.
>
>We plan to use Des2K for repository. I believe it can generate Visual
Basic.
>How successful is this??
>
>Has anyone used the products with Oracle Server???
>Are there any reference sites comparing the products (features, limitations
>etc)????.
>
>Ray Dowling
>E-mail Address(es):
> rdowling_at_portbris.com.au
>
>
>
>
Received on Tue Sep 29 1998 - 06:32:52 CEST