wblock@
Developer
Once again I find myself needing some "simple" multiuser database software. Ideally this would be something cross-platform that would allow visual form layout, basic reports. Even better, it would run as a web page using Apache or nginx.
Searching has not turned up anything in this middle ground, somewhere between a spreadsheet and bare-metal SQL programming.
LibreOffice Base
Pros: something created in this today will probably still work in a couple of years.
Cons: security: Java JRE required
LibreOffice Calc
Pros: can do forms (I think), may not need JRE, possibly widely-known (Excel)
Cons: multiuser database access? Programs compatible with Excel? Capabilities?
Rails
Pros: widely used, can do anything, there may be scaffolding or a framework for a quick start
Cons: must build everything from scratch, probably requires active updates or a rewrite in a few years
PHP/MySQL/PostgreSQL
Pros: all over, maybe a framework for quick start
Cons: security: exploit of the week
FormBuilder or other Perl CGI stuff
Pros: probably very stable
Cons: only does forms, still have to build the rest of the app, CGI, not very widely used
Kexi might work, but does not appear to be ready, and there is no FreeBSD port.
Other suggestions welcome.
Searching has not turned up anything in this middle ground, somewhere between a spreadsheet and bare-metal SQL programming.
LibreOffice Base
Pros: something created in this today will probably still work in a couple of years.
Cons: security: Java JRE required
LibreOffice Calc
Pros: can do forms (I think), may not need JRE, possibly widely-known (Excel)
Cons: multiuser database access? Programs compatible with Excel? Capabilities?
Rails
Pros: widely used, can do anything, there may be scaffolding or a framework for a quick start
Cons: must build everything from scratch, probably requires active updates or a rewrite in a few years
PHP/MySQL/PostgreSQL
Pros: all over, maybe a framework for quick start
Cons: security: exploit of the week
FormBuilder or other Perl CGI stuff
Pros: probably very stable
Cons: only does forms, still have to build the rest of the app, CGI, not very widely used
Kexi might work, but does not appear to be ready, and there is no FreeBSD port.
Other suggestions welcome.