Terminal Server or not

[space_monkey]

I'm the new programmer here at work, the other guy has been here for awhile and is set in his ways. His way of deploying an app is to set it out on a terminal server and have everyone log into it to use the various apps out there. From a programmer's stand point this seems to be the easy way to do things (You only have one place to put your app when you update it, you can remote a user's session to see the problem without getting up from your desk, plus you don't have to worry about compatibility, etc.).

Lately, I've been getting the feeling that the IT dept would like to phase out this way of doing things, and i see their point (Having practically everyone logging into to a server reaks havoc on the network, plus it adds a step to the users who want to use the app.). Plus the IT guys have gotten a new app that will automatically disperse my app to all the people who need it, eliminating the need to go to each workstation and install it.

Being the new guy here I'm kinda in a interesting position, I could stick with the old way of doing things or create my own. So i guess my question to all of you is "how would/should this be done?"


Thanks
Andy

[space_monkey]

Let me add one quick thing, up till now all of my apps have been installed on the users machines mostly because it was a very limited group of users (5-15), but now they have asked me to develop an app for some little tablets that we are using out in the shop. I've never done anything like that before so I'm kinda unsure of what to do. My coworker ofcourse suggested using the term server. And since i don't really know any other way to do it. I'll prolly have to. So i guess that's my other question. Is there any kind of tutorial out there for developing programs for a tablet pc (kind of thing) or maybe there isn't any difference?

[RobDog888]

Yes, it may place a strain on your network resources but if the workstations are not up to speed then they
would struggle with the app. Having it on the T-Server would mean that the workstations would not be using their
processing power to run the app, only the T-Server would be doing the processing.

So you need to develop an app for the Tablet PC? Havent done anything with that.

[kleinma]

I think for the most part tablet PCs should run apps the same as a regular PC. Unless tablets use the compact framework, but I dont think that they do. (I could be wrong)

what type of network do you have? If you could have a shared network drive that the users could access, you could put your apps there. It still gives you only one spot to have to place updates, but when the users open the exes, they are loaded into local ram on the desktop PC, so network traffic should be much lower than a constant connection to a terminal server.

[space_monkey]

Thanks for replying guys.
I think for the most part the machinces that are out here are pretty decent. Still a few slow 98's out there, and those are slowly being replaced as needed. But i get what you are saying and it's a good point.

I'm gonna have to get my hands on one of these tablets just to see how everything works with them.
kleinma: when you are talking about a compact framework, you are talking about using .net right?? Right now we're using vb6 so i'm not sure if that would effect us or not. Although I'm hoping to make the switch to either vb.net or c# sometime in the future. And that's a good idea about the shared network drive. I'll have to check into that as well.

Thanks
Andy

[RobDog888]

There is also a version of vb6 for handhelds as well. I forget the name but its something like eVB 3.0 from MS and they
have a C++ version as well.

Good luck and post back if you have any more questions or issues.

[kleinma]

VB6 should run on the tablets as well.

Rob I have VBe 3.0 and its for the PocketPC OS.. its really stripped down in terms of functionality compared with traditional VB. I also think it has since been replaced by the compact framework (although you may still be able to get it), and yes compact framework is .net.

my guess though is that you should be able to run VB6 apps on them without problem (I mean they run Windows XP tablet PC edition as it is, that must be able to run standard apps)