Web enabled App architecture question - thin or thick client?

From: Adam Lipscombe (adam.lipscombe_at_expensys.com)
Date: 04/22/04 

Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2004 10:26:54 +0100

Folks,

I have been tasked with designing and developing a java/web version of an
existing Lotus Notes program.
The existing program has a rich UI with lots of calculations being done on
the fly (i..e when a user tabs between input fields). The target user base
is not particularly IT literate.

I have been considering the possible approaches and 3 occur to me:

1. Thick client - Swing App on client desktop talking to Web services
server.
    Pros - Can have rich UI with the calc logic working as in the existing
app - i.e. when user tabs between fields.
    Cons - Needs VM on client.
               Needs fairly powerful machine to run it.
               Not "sexy" - thin client seems to be the big buzzword these
days.

2. Thin client -Web Browser/HTML /Javascript with main processing on server.
    Pros - Every machine can run it.
              "Standard" UI - users are used to web browsers.
    Cons: Must use Javascript to get the "on the fly" calc logic working
(i..e. App will be very clunky if it posts to the server every time users
tab between input fields). Some of the calcs are quite complex and I dont
fancy doing that level of processing with Javascript, not least 'cos the
debuggers are so awful.

3. Half-way house - Thick client running on server rendered in client
browser by Webcream or similar.
    Pros - As for thin client, plus you get the rich UI and on the fly
calcs.
    Cons: I am not sure about webcream in a production env. Is it reliable?

I am trying to figure out which if the most apporopriate approach. Does
anyone have a view, or done something similar? Any other approaches I have
not considered?

TIA - Adam Lipscombe

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