[wplug] Database front ends

[Bill Moran]

David Ostroske <eksortso at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 7/25/05, Bill Moran <wmoran at potentialtech.com> wrote:
> > Rob Knapp said:
> 
> > > David Ostroske wrote:
> > >>Seriously, though, what do you all use for robust non-web front-end
> > >>interfaces to databases (corporate or otherwise)?
> 
> > > Mostly I use python + QT or wxPython.  I'm big on the whole portability
> > > thing, and I've found that those combinations work well.
> 
> Portability's a plus, I'll admit that. If I were ever going to
> transition an all-MS outfit out of its old habits, then a python
> solution would probably work well.

I've heard good things about Ruby as well.

My problem is that I have an unshakable romance with C/C++ structured
languages.  I get uncomfortable with languages that don't use semicolons
and {} to define structure.  Not really explicable ...

> > May sound odd, but I've found PHP works great.
> > 
> > Newer versions of PHP have a GTK binding that makes GUI development
> > fairly easy, and the capability to to use PHP as a general-purpose
> > interpreted language has improved a lot over the last year.  PHP also
> > has built-in support for most popular databases.  (All I really care
> > about is PostgreSQL ...)
> 
> Hey Bill. PHP completely slipped my mind! I've seen PHP code for
> databases (many moons ago, and for MySQL), so what you're saying
> actually makes sense to me.
> 
> I do have reservations, though. PHP has a reputation for being
> somewhat insecure. I'm not sure how well-founded those accusations
> are, though.
> 
> Don't know about portability, but I do have an unfounded fondness for GTK.

I haven't used it extensively yet, but have tested apps on both FreeBSD
and Windows ... I'm just assuming that Linux will be similar/identical
to FreeBSD.

As for the insecurity, that's generally because of the high-exposure PHP
gets as a web-based language.  It's also totally undeserved.  PHP is so
easy to use that a lot of folks with no understanding of coding or
security are writing really crappy applications for the web with it.  When
their code gets cracked, PHP takes the blame, even though it doesn't deserve
it.

-- 
Bill Moran
Potential Technologies
http://www.potentialtech.com