Games type interface

[EternalOptimist]

Not wanting to go to far off topic EO but this sounds like it will be a nightmare for your client's planning dept to manage if they're on separate databases.

i know....but

the users job is to say what they want
the contractors jobs is to say whether its do-able
the MD's job is to say lets do it

[MPwannadecentincome]

i know....but

the users job is to say what they want
the contractors jobs is to say whether its do-able
the MD's job is to say lets do it

Ermm but surely you can point out that the poor small companies may not be able to:
a) afford the hardware to run it on
b) have people to manage it
c) have any security policy in place to control access to it
d) even have the skills to do a backup / restore

I would be strongly recommending a shared DB system where the browser lets the company only see their own data within shared tables - this is what Software as a Service (SaaS) is all about, its all the rage now didn't you know?

[krytonsheep]

It's bit hard to tell what the spec is,

For a desktop application with local database, I do Adobe Air application+ SQLite.

For a web based one I'd re-use the Air application (built as flash) and get it to use a remote database.

[Pondlife]

i know....but

the users job is to say what they want
the contractors jobs is to say whether its do-able
the MD's job is to say lets do it

The users never know what they want. Some guy who once created something in access thinks this is the best way.

Next week you will be getting another request because customers placing orders in the new discrete DB are being told that they can have product despite no stock being available (cos that is in the other one).

Then planning/logistics will be on the phone saying that they need an extract/import of the orders into the main DB in order to know what to make/buy.