Hello Friends,

I am starting to work on a significant size of application myself, over the weekends.

The dilemma is weather I should choose Lightswitch or should I start with Silverlight?

What My App Needs:

On a high level, this is what my app needs

1. Data Entry forms a lot of them

2. Should be cloud based architecture, multiple clients can use the app simultaneously.

3. Has to be a web application.

4. Should have enterprise level security

5. Reports, Reports a lot of them.

6. No immediate need to target HTML clients (only PC's with Silverlight plugin are Okay for now. ) However this need may arise tomorrow.

Based on above there is really a closed shave between the two choices.

Lets look at the Pros & Cons of Both:

Lightswitch:

1. Super easy to get started & get going.

2. Built in authentication services.

3. Ready for Cloud & supports HTML client.

4. can use third party tools for reporting (read DevEx)

5. Ability to build custom controls with Silverlight & custom implementations with insertion of RIA services

6. The only problem I think is its super rigid with its UI, however that can be changed in HTML client, but given my very limited knowledge of HTML that is the last thing I would want to resort to.

Silverlight:

1. Great flexibility.

2. Super set of controls available (read Telerik Suit)

3. RIA services is as easy to get started with.

4. Can easily customize the inbuilt authentication & authorization model.

5. Web Based, Support for cloud.

6. The only con is you have to do everything manually, takes a lot of efforts compared to Ligtswitch.

Keeping all these points in mind, what do you think which one suites the bill better?

Please leave your suggestions in comments below..

Thanks

~supreet