🚀 go-pugleaf

First sorry for the cross post. I just didn't know exactly where to post
this query.

I have an application written in MS Access (97) and SQL Server back end,
there are a lot of modules and VB code not just a bunch of auto
generated forms.  It is a POS, inventory management and reporting
suite.  I would like to migrate across to a language that lets me run it
on its own without the need for MS Access and then able to compile (i.e.
Delphi/Kylix) or run straight (i.e. Java or Web based) on Windows or
Linux.

The options I've considered are:


   * Java - Gives me true cross platform functionality but performance
     wont be that good on some of the older computers.  Pentium 166 32M
     is the slowest.
   * Delphi/Kylix - Should give me very fast applications and good ease
     of programming.  Seems to handle the data side very well (in Delphi
     at least I haven't tried Kylix yet as there is no trial download).
   * Web based using client side and server side scripts - This would
     make the changes the easiest to update across the network but I am
     then still relying on other software. For some reason I just can't
     seem to trust either IE or Netscape to stay consistent.  Also I
     feel I might lose some speed in this case.

My questions are:

What would I lose in ease of programming?  MS Access has been very easy
for me to add complex reports and data manipulation routines.

I have tried the Delphi download and it handles database connections
well so I could make my application.  Would Kylix work as well and do
the commercial IDE/RAD tools for Java do the same?  I've tried JBuilder
foundation but of course there is no dataexpress etc.

Do Java applications work well left running 24/7?  When I've left a Java
application running on my machine overnight it seems to take forever to
get going again in the morning.

Does Java support direct printing to serial and parallel ports?  We use
old dot matrix printers for receipts and some reports (hey they're
really cheap) and the cash drawers are opened by sending a short string
to the port they're connected to.

The reporting tools in MS Access are very good.  Am I likely to be able
to create complex reports using Java or Delphi/Kylix as easily?  E.g.
the End of Day till report lists totals collected returned, account
sales and any till withdrawals and who made them.  In MS Access this is
not a hard report to generate although it does use a few pages of code
in addition to the Access field source queries.

I hope this all makes sense.

Any help is appreciated.

TIA

Joe Gilmour
Melbourne Australia