In article <[log in to unmask]>, [log in to unmask] says...
>
>(this query is re-posted to a wider audience, adding
> newsgroups recommended by initial respondents)
>
>Greetings Netizens with Program/System Design expertise:
>
>Has Visual Basic matured to the point that it can be used in a
>mission-critical healthcare application?
>
>A major vendor of healthcare software is trying to decide if they
>should revise their flagship application using Microsoft Visual Basic.
>This 'mission-critical' application is presently implemented in Micro
>Focus COBOL on HP-UX/MPE servers, feeding dumb-terminals throughout
>the hospitals in which it is installed.
>
>I'm under the (mistaken?) impression that Visual Basic has a stigma of
>being 'inappropriate' for developing mission-critical, realtime
>systems filled with sensitive patient and financial data. If so, it
>may be awfully difficult for us to pitch IT-savvy Hospital IS managers
>and CEO's on the product (we provide this client with marketing and
>management services).
>
>Your experience, advice, answers and anecdotes regarding these four
>points will be read with great interest...
>
>1. What's the 'social perception' of VB among IT professionals?
>2. What's the technical viability of using VB for a healthcare app?
>3. Any alternative solutions you suggest we look into?
>4. Would you trust your life to a hospital that runs on Visual Basic?
>
>TIA, anyone who has a minute to help us out by sharing their $.02
>
>--Sean Dreilinger
>please communicate any blatant ads/advocacy/flames via private e-mail
>
>
> Sean Dreilinger, MLIS
> PGP Public Key - http://www.kensho.com/sean/pubring.htm
> [log in to unmask] - 619.514.3939 - http://www.kensho.com/~sean/
>KENSHO - Bringing Knowledge to the Information Age - in a Flash
Sean,
I'm an old-school Cobol programmer, but now days it's SQL, C, and VB.
Currently, if I'm developing a complete app with a character based
interface, I use C. For GUI it's VB.
VB is very competent these days, but as with any language, the real
issue is in how well the app is written and implemented. So, if the code
is good, VB is as solid as the next language.
As for IT perception, thanks to the MS evangelists, VB is now widely
respected. In many an MS shop, it is _the_ answer. (I'm not that far
gone, but I have friends that pray to Bill Gates and dream in VB)
That said, I suspect your concern should be the db you use. VB's
native vb is MS Access, and while I've had no trouble with it in small
(20-user, 20,000 record db) environments, I've heard horror stories from
larger shops. They generaly go to another db - often via SQL-Server.
I suggest you check in the VB groups and ask specifically about db
options.
HTH,
-Mark
--
... Money talks - I'll not deny,
I heard it once; It said Good-bye. - Armour
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