Web App vs Windows App

[dcbud]

I'm hoping to get a response from developers with experience in both
developing applications for Windows and the Web using VS.NET2005. I'm
looking for input as to why we would want to develop a web application
versus a Windows Application. I know all the standard reasons,
Availability, Easier Deployment (although that is really not an issue
any more with Windows Apps in .NET), etc, I'm looking for more better
reasons why we should develop for the web. The application we are
building is a Financials Application (Fund Accounting, AP, Payroll,
etc.) most likely to just be used within an LAN environment and the
chances of it being used outside the LAN are very minimal. It's a very
data input intensive application with alot of reporting involved. Also,

there are requirements that will require use of the local computer
resources (i.e. Printing Checks, Exporting Data to excel Spreadsheets,
Importing files from other systems, etc.). The CEO of our company will

not tolerate a slow performing application or an application that is
not easy for the user to use as far as inputting data into the system.
Our CEO wants to go Web because he thinks the User Interface will look
more "clean" and organized and that our productivity will be about the
same as if we were doing it in Windows (keep in mind that our
development experience in ASP.NET is very limited compared to our
Windows App experience). The other reason is that he feels it will give

us an edge in the market having a web app. I disagree with all of
those arguments with the exception of the market edge reason. However;
not having much experience at all in the web environment, I would like
some input from developers out there who have done really large
applications in both a web environment and a Windows App environment..
Thanks!

 

[Kevin Spencer]

Check out ClickOnce Deployment. It seems like it might be right up your
alley:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/04/05/clickonce/default.aspx

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
..Net Developer
Who is Mighty Abbott?
A twin turret scalawag.

 

[David Hernandez Diez]

I'm hoping to get a response from developers with experience in both
developing applications for Windows and the Web using VS.NET2005. I'm
looking for input as to why we would want to develop a web application
versus a Windows Application. I know all the standard reasons,
Availability, Easier Deployment (although that is really not an issue
any more with Windows Apps in .NET), etc, I'm looking for more better
reasons why we should develop for the web. The application we are
building is a Financials Application (Fund Accounting, AP, Payroll,
etc.) most likely to just be used within an LAN environment and the
chances of it being used outside the LAN are very minimal. It's a very
data input intensive application with alot of reporting involved. Also,

there are requirements that will require use of the local computer
resources (i.e. Printing Checks, Exporting Data to excel Spreadsheets,
Importing files from other systems, etc.). The CEO of our company will

not tolerate a slow performing application or an application that is
not easy for the user to use as far as inputting data into the system.
Our CEO wants to go Web because he thinks the User Interface will look
more "clean" and organized and that our productivity will be about the
same as if we were doing it in Windows (keep in mind that our
development experience in ASP.NET is very limited compared to our
Windows App experience). The other reason is that he feels it will give

us an edge in the market having a web app. I disagree with all of
those arguments with the exception of the market edge reason. However;
not having much experience at all in the web environment, I would like
some input from developers out there who have done really large
applications in both a web environment and a Windows App environment..
Thanks!

Hello,

With all the information you give I recommend you going for win forms.

If you want to access local resources the easiest way to do it is with
win forms. Web apps cannot control some local resources (like printers.)

Also, the richest user experience you can get is with win forms. Web
apps are often slower, the screen will flicker etc ...

Some tasks like generating reports or office document are very cpu and
memory intensive and you will probably need a lot of hardware server
resources.

The only point that should stop you going to win forms is if you must
support different O.S. other than windows or the app needs to run in
enterprises where it is not allowed to install applications by users.

I work in a large enterprise and we moved from desktop apps to web only
because of deployment issues ... Now with the click once technology
deployment is not an issue any more. In fact now we are missing many
features of the desktop apps.

 

[Guest]

In most applications, I consider this to be a relgious argument to which
there is no clear right or wrong answer. Lately though, I tend to favour
WinForms apps because MS have broken down the biggest boundry of windows
apps; how to get it out to many thousands of users.

I've found for large OLTP applications, WinForms are generally better
accepted by users, it's more natural to them. Also, the user experience in
WinForms applications is better, with tabs, menus, MDI, docking windows, etc.

Microsoft have recently introduced the Composite UI application block, which
you should definately look at for your application. This is Windows Forms
only, but absolutely great.

I would say these are the pro's to windows forms
- Upcoming Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF! wow)
- Superior databinding.
- Better access to network equipment and file systems. (Printers, Faxes,
Scanners, etc)
- Easier to control state
- Users don't have to compete for resource on the servers
- Better user experience (in my opinion, again, a religious argument)

I suppose at the end of the day, you'll write a great application whichever
way you go. Just make sure you don't put business logic in the UI, then you
could create a hybrid application for different parts of the system.