Looking For Direction
in [Java Programming]
|
From: Patricia Shanahan on 10 Jun 2010 09:17 JC wrote: .... > The equipment at the lab is antiquated. I would say the server is pushing > twenty years old. The network O/S is an unsupported version of Netware (5.0 > I think). The version of Oracle, also unsupported, is 8.0.1 and came free > when they did the Netware upgrade eleven years ago. Although we do nightly > backups I have to say I probably wouldn't know what to do should a restore > be needed. .... The backup issue seems *very* serious to me, something you should fix ASAP regardless of any changes to anything else. If you do not know what do to if a restore is needed, you are presumably not testing your backups by doing restores. How do you *know* your backups are working? I have seen very serious problems in a situation in which everyone thought some files were being backed up, and didn't find out there was a problem in the back up process until the files were lost in a disk failure. Patricia
From: me on 10 Jun 2010 10:34 David Kerber <dkerber(a)WarrenRogersAssociates.invalid> writes: > In article <4c1033b3$0$278$14726298(a)news.sunsite.dk>, arne(a)vajhoej.dk > says... > > ... > >> Given that he has Java, JDBC and Oracle experience then he should >> have at least some advantages going Java instead of .NET. > > Not to mention that those are all cross-platform options. while .NET > locks you into a windows-based network. And doesn't .NET also tend to drag you into to license fees and other expenses; whilst Java has an open source eco-system?
From: Alessio Stalla on 10 Jun 2010 11:03 On Jun 9, 11:19 pm, "JC" <jjcarde...(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > For the user interface I am thinking of something that is > integrated with a web browser. In addition to what everyone else said, I'd like to concentrate on this point. Are you really sure you need a web-based interface (i.e., do you really need to expose your application to potentially anyone anywhere), or are you considering it just because it's today's trend to build web applications? In my experience (2+ years in JSF + some minor projects with Struts) web applications often face an additional layer of complexity than client-server applications, and are generally limited in functionality (by the browser and by the stateless nature of the HTTP protocol). I think JSF especially is a very bad choice. I used the ICEFaces implementation, which adds its own host of problems, but JSF in general is terribly complex, and has a fundamentally bad design. Imagine someone proposed to you, for a client-server application: "hey, let's do this cool thing, let's keep *all* the GUI state on the server and ask for it *each and every time* the user interacts with the GUI"... you would say that's crazy, wouldn't you? Yet it's precisely what JSF does (and ICEFaces exacerbates the problem by forcing everything to be AJAX, even stuff that could be client-side only, like help tooltips). Then, there's the complex and strict life cycle, the macroscopic mistakes in the class hierarchy, and I could go on and on... So, I'd suggest you to use Swing + Java Web Start (JNLP) + Spring HTTP remoting to communicate with the server. If you really, really *need* a browser, consider GWT. It makes you write a JavaScript GUI... without JavaScript, using Java. Not as powerful as a client-server app, but relatively close. hth, Alessio
From: JC on 10 Jun 2010 12:09 I would just like to say "Many Thanks" to everyone who responded to this thread. I would like to add a few comments at this time. 1. It is true, I was not very sure of eactly which newsgroup to send my post to. 2. Yes, the situation with the backups IS critical. Despite my recommendations, the folks at the lab have a tendency to react to a problem rather than pre-prepare; they also have a tendency to think I am a wizard or magician! 3. Interesting about the Vector class as I use java.util.Vector extensively in the app, 4. True, the needs of the lab are not very extensive. 5. But yes, I would like to see them (when they are ready of course) purchase the best and most up-to-date hardware as they are willing to buy. 6. We use TCP/IP (and not IPX); I think later versions of Netware support TCP/IP; I think that was why we had originally upgraded the network o/s. 7. LIS is a medical community acronym for Laboratory Information System. Thanks Again!! -JC "JC" <jjcardella(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message news:d4GdnQ9ebOqDa5LRnZ2dnUVZ_o-dnZ2d(a)earthlink.com... > Hello ... > > > > I am going to attempt to present my case without getting too detailed or > wordy (which I am often accused of). > > > > First let me say that I am a dinosaur. I screwed up a lot of opportunity in > my time, but that is not what I am here to discuss today. It is what it is > and I am OK today. > > > > Anyway, for the past eleven years I have been doing work for an independent > medical laboratory as a contractor. I designed, developed, and implemented a > laboratory information system. Today I maintain this system. > > > > The reason I am a dinosaur is because I have not kept up with the changing > times over the years (my fault). The LIS is comprised of a GUI front-end > written in Java (Visual Caf�; SDK 1.1 I believe). It interfaces (JDBC) to an > Oracle database. > > > > I am the only software person the lab has (i.e. I do everything). Over the > years I've only run into one situation where we needed to seek outside help > (it had to do with a corrupt table in Oracle; I am not a DB administrator > although I have to be in some capacity). > > > > The equipment at the lab is antiquated. I would say the server is pushing > twenty years old. The network O/S is an unsupported version of Netware (5.0 > I think). The version of Oracle, also unsupported, is 8.0.1 and came free > when they did the Netware upgrade eleven years ago. Although we do nightly > backups I have to say I probably wouldn't know what to do should a restore > be needed. > > > > Aside from me, they also have a network guy they call on from time to time > when network problems arise. > > > > Anyway, I believe they are at a point where they are in need of an equipment > upgrade. I do believe that the LIS should also be redone. > > > > What I am looking for is someone to point me in the right direction in > regards to resources. I need to learn what is out there; tools, etc. that > are used today. I don't expect anyone to give me answer; just point me in > the direction of resources (websites, books, magazines, etc) that would > enable me to learn about options available today for software development. > > > > Off the top of my head, I am thinking of a Unix based version of Oracle for > the DBMS. For the user interface I am thinking of something that is > integrated with a web browser. And of course some sort of interface between > the two. All this with my limited knowledge of what's out there today. I > might be a dinosaur but certainly not stupid; I am quite capable of > learning. I haven't been to school since 1996 when I graduated with a BS in > Comp/Sci & Math. > > > > Many Thanks to any/all that respond ... > > -JC > >
From: David Kerber on 10 Jun 2010 11:06
In article <w4zq1vcfx8ga.fsf(a)88VT03J.i-did-not-set--mail-host-address-- so-tickle-me>, me(a)me.com says... > > David Kerber <dkerber(a)WarrenRogersAssociates.invalid> writes: > > > In article <4c1033b3$0$278$14726298(a)news.sunsite.dk>, arne(a)vajhoej.dk > > says... > > > > ... > > > >> Given that he has Java, JDBC and Oracle experience then he should > >> have at least some advantages going Java instead of .NET. > > > > Not to mention that those are all cross-platform options. while .NET > > locks you into a windows-based network. > > And doesn't .NET also tend to drag you into to license fees and other > expenses; whilst Java has an open source eco-system? I don't know a whole lot about the .NET ecosystem, but Java absolutely has a very strong open-source community. Since he's the one writing the lab software, he can probably get the entire office redone with zero software expenses, if he were to use Linux for the OS, Postgres or mySQL (or the free version of Oracle) as the db, and his own software for the front end. The other nice thing about java is that his very old app will probably still run on the newest jvms, allowing him to upgrade the machines and rewrite the app later on in the process. D |