Some basic concerns

[Ronald Zellner]

Hi,

I've been developing in Revolution/LiveCode in an academic setting since 1999. Most of my work uses regular stacks. I did try a few iPad applications a while back, but I have not renewed my certifications.  Recently I was asked to develop a research instrument for a project using iPads.  My concern is related to the long-term maintenance of such work; if I don't continue to keep my certification active will the research instruments be useless at some point?  The instrument will involve data collection, manipulation, and storage.  This is all quite manageable with a stack on a laptop, but I'm not sure how I want to proceed in relation to using iPads.  I also have concerns about where to store the data (local or server) and how to access it.  Any general thoughts or advice?  
Thanks,
Ron