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