Ask Slashdot: Linux Database GUI Application Development?

New submitter msubieta writes I have been developing some applications to use in small businesses using Windows and SQL Server. I would like to move on and start doing the same thing in Linux. I have looked at several Frameworks/Databases/Development environments and I really don't know what is the best/simplest/fastest to learn approach. I use VS and C# mostly, although I could easily go back to C++. I found Qt and GTK+ are the most common frameworks, but they seem to lack controls that deal with datasets and stuff (sorry, spoiled by the .net form controls), but I also know that I could use Mono in order to make the jump. I would have no problem on moving to MySQL, as I have done quite a lot of work on that side, and I would like to stick with the traditional client server application, as I find it easier to maintain, and a whole lot more robust when it comes to user interaction (web apps for POS applications don't seem to be the right way to go in my view). Any suggestions/comments/recommendations?

Comments

You're picking your tool before your problem.

[davidsheckler]

FIrst decide the right way to solve the problem, then look at the available tools to solve it.

Client server is better at solving specific problems, anything graphics heavy usually. For pure data entry a straight up server side web application is usually the best choice. You don't need to support multiple client installs, just the server instance.

For ease of development: PHP, for scalability, some java based framework (Spring, Wicket, etc...) or even Scala/Play if you feel somewhat daring.

Rule #1 of development: Know your requirements.

[RingDev]

If you're just developing for the fun of it, have at.

But if your goal is to have a POS application, stop writing code right now. There exist hundreds of off the shelf POS apps all ready. For Windows, for Linux, thick clients, thin clients, web, desktop, green screen, etc...

Your time would be vastly better spent finding an existing product and adapting your business process to it. Especially if it is something that can tie into your accounting/inventory systems.

As the old saying goes, "Good developers write good code, great developers steal good code."

-Rick

PostgreSQL

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm a big fan of PostgreSQL over MySQL.

Re:Hakija

[jedidiah]

You couldn't be more wrong if you tried.

If you're willing to explore something other than what Microsoft has spoon fed you, there's more than enough shiny happy development interfaces out there.

Re:Look at Java/Postgresql

[Anonymous Coward]

I've always thought IntelliJ IDEA was Visual Studio's Java equivalent. In fact IntelliJ IDEA is so much more superior to Visual Studio that they ported many of the IntelliJ features to Visual Studio in order to complete it (aka Resharper plugin). IntellIJ is also free open source unless you want to do Java EE and some other things.

Re:Java

[AqD]

How about Java FX 8?

Being actually using it for half of a year. It's a significant improvement over Swing and definitely superior to winform or GTK#, not so over WPF.

A few problems with it:

• * The data-binding/observable mechanism isn't directly compatible with old Java beans. The mechanism is the only reason I choose JavaFX. It also requires some learning and adaption to get used to the programming style but definitely worth it.
• * Toolset is incomplete and you wouldn't even find any IDE with proper FXML support
• * Documentation isn't too good and you'd need to read source code instead. The code is quite readable though.
• * Lacks some basic controls (dialogs will be in next release) and you'd need 3rd-party libraries from the start (ex: ControlsFX).
• * Loading complex UI takes time, as can be seen from their own demo Modena. Instead of constructing everything at once (as can be done in Qt or WPF without problem), you might need to manually lazy-load parts.
• * Be careful of weak references/events used everywhere in JavaFX. Things could be GC'ed when you don't think they're supposed to be.
• * Oracle deprecated the fluent builders API in v8. I recreated the generator and the API here JXTN which is also customizable
• * It cannot embed native controls/widgets, though it can be embedded into others such as Eclipse RCP/SWT, as what I'm doing now.

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I don't think you'd find a better cross-platform choice. However it'd be very unsuitable for tighter integration with Linux desktop (notifications/WM/process/shell controls etc).

Re:Hakija

[Anonymous Coward]

Are you seriously comparing a list with IDE's like Komodo and Eclipse to Visual Studio?

Look, you can hate on MS all you want to. But at a certain point you can cross over into true delusion.