Is RR suited for this project ?

[Pierre Sahores]

On Fri, 2003-08-01 at 10:43, Alain PIERRE wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I recently discovered RR while doing some research on the
> net and would like to know whether RR is most suited for the
> following database publishing project. If not, which software and
> database (DB)/RDBMS is most suited ?

RR is full suitable for development of the kind of dual-sided project
(CD-Rom + Web-hosting).
> 
> - Annually updated commercial European multi-lingual
> publication ( min. 3 languages: english, french, dutch - maybe
> later on: spanish, italian )
> 
> - Publishing medium:
> . 1st edition: paper, stand-alone application on CD-ROM / DVD
> ( text and graphics/images )
> . 2nd edition+: paper, stand-alone application on CD-ROM /
> DVD ( text, graphics/images, audio and video ), Internet
> 
> - Data:
> . text, graphics/images, audio and video ( various formats )
> . text: multi-lingual
> 
> - Publishing format:
> . CD-ROM / DVD: stand-alone application and PDF files
> . Internet: static ( and probably dynamic ) web pages

OK, even about building dynamic HTML and PDF (Htmldoc engine) outputs in
using RR as tcp/ip application server
> 
> - Database:
> . 25 related files/tables
> . total of approx. 7000 records/rows
> . encrypted
> . embedded PDF files
> . read from CD-ROM / DVD or to be installed on hard
> disk(*)

RR+local flat-file database (CD-Rom)
RR+SQL RDBMS (Web's and/or ERP's on-line app)
> 
> - PDF files:
> . generated from DB/RDBMS

as said up on, RR+Htmldoc
> 
> - Stand-alone application:
> . compiled ( & linked )
> . run from CD-ROM / DVD or to be installed on hard disk(*)
> . multi-lingual
> . present development platform: Windows 98 - 2nd edition
> . distribution platform: Windows, probably also Mac

OK, RR is full suitable to develop once and deploy anywhere (Win32,
MacOS, over 10 Unix*s including Linux and Solaris)

> . graphics/images: separate viewing ( thumbnail + enlarged ) +
> slide-show
> . read-only + read/write version
> . data quering by form, cfr FileMaker ( user don't have to enter
> SQL statements or use a query editor )
> . data quering by form on related tables
> . data quering results: record by record + grid
> . downloadable time-limited demo ( with partial data or a
> limited number of records/rows )
> . import of images/graphics from scanner
> . possibilty to define hyperlinked areas ( link to text or other
> image ) on graphics/images

all needs full suitables, including the friendly end-users front screens
(possible Desktop's, Web's or ERP's front-ends)
> 
> (*) determined by read-write/read-only status, speed and
> copy protection considerations.
> 
OK, "if..then...else" statements + login/password.

The RR file-format (the stack) can be password-protected to set the
source-code app as unavailable to others than the copyright owner of the
developed application
> 
> Questions:
> ----------
> 
> 01.1 Most suited development software ? Why ?
> 01.2 Most suited platform to develop on ? Why ?
> 01.3 Most tried-and-true, stable version to develop with on the
> development platform ?

RR 2.0.1 (2.0.2, still a little young).

> 01.4 What's needed to port the application to other platform(s) ?

Un couple of days about the apps i'm developing for my own (Linux -->
MacOSX, Linux --> Win32)

> 01.5 Necessary plug-ins / add-ons / add-ins / ... ?

No.

> 01.6 Distributed application RAM requirements ?

About twice the size of the distribued app (about 10 to 20 Mo).

> 01.7 Stand-alone application CD-ROM / DVD reading speed ?

It will always be good speed results in installing the stand-alone on
the end-user hard-drive (lots faster than Java and, even,
MMDirector.apps)

> 01.8 Stand-alone application size ( excl. database ), especially

At least, from 3 Mo to 10 Mo for front-end apps, from 50 ko to 4 Mo for
server-side no-GUI apps, as an average. In about GUI apps, it depend
about the number and complexity of the end-users screens you want to
have inside your app.

> regarding downloadable demo ? ADSL or high speed Internet
> access is not ( yet ) available everywhere in Europe, especially
> for non-professional users.
> 01.09 Stand-alone application: which screen resolution & screen
> size to develop for ?

32.000 colors and 800*600 to 1024*768 as a raisonnable average but you
are free to choose others.
> 
> 02.1 Most suited DB/RDBMS ?

I use, for my own networked apps, the ACID compliant PostgreSQL 7.xx
server (MySQL 3.xx/4.xx, Oracle 8/9i and most of the ODBC suitables db
also availables, aka Sybase ASE 12.5, FrontBase,...)

> 02.2 Most tried-and-true, stable version to develop with ?

PostgreSQL 7.xx is, for me, an use full and unbreakable server.

> 02.3 Allows indexed compound fields ?
> 02.4 Allows prefixed auto-increment fields ?

Yes.

> 02.5 Design and management tools ?

No really top (pgMyAdmin, PGAccess,...) --> i use my own home-made tools
instead.

> 02.6 Data encryption tools ?

SSL is not yet available as a RR feature, even if it's on the
PostgreSQL. But there is other ways available to encrypt the RR POST
datas before they goes over the web.
> 
> 03.1 CD-ROM / DVD - executable - PDF anti-copy/piracy tools ?
> 03.2 Licence / registration key / registration attempts tracking
> tools ?

The RR entreprise edition is best suitable for such kind of project
(stand-alone runtime are "royalty-free" distribuables.
> 
> 04. Which Windows compatible graphic, audio and video
> formats ( supplied by manufacturers ) can be converted to
> Quicktime compatible format(s) ?
> 
> 05. What is meant by a "double-clickable" application ?

It's an executable app, witch embed both the developed app and the
needed runtime engine witch powers it, inside an unique file.
> 
> 06. Tool for applying a watermark on graphics and videos. Can
> be automated for a graphic / video collection ?
> 
> 07. Statistics on Windows & Mac platform in use + which
> versions of each ?

See the mailing-list archive about this.
> 
> 08. Any other important question(s) or considerations I forgot
> to mention ?

Don't think !!!
> 
> 09. Any other important selection criteria I forgot to mention ?
> 

Again !!!
> 
> Thanks for your kind advice,
> Alain 
> 
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Hope this help,

-- 
Bien cordialement, Pierre Sahores

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