If you want your application to be
- browser-based
- standards-compliant -- works on most computer browsers / platforms
- easy to configure
- secure -- easy to patch and upgrade on an ongoing basis
- modular -- start with core features and easily integrate new features in
the future

I would look at building it in Drupal.

True, there is a learning curve involved to actually do the development, but
it is PHP so not at all hard for an existing software developer to grasp.
Plus, there is a large and active Drupal community so you can easily get
free help, or even hire a local Drupal developer to do the work for you if
you don't want to be bothered.

Curtis

On Thu, Sep 11, 2008 at 10:51 AM, Tom Penney <tpenney at gmail.com> wrote:

> Forgive the off topic post. I was hoping that someone might have some
> advice for me.
>
> I've been handed a home brew data entry system written in VB6 that is
> in need of replacement. Code is poorly commented and the guy who wrote
> it can't be found. What I would LIKE to do is start from scratch and
> write a nice browser based system using google gears or something like
> that but I don't have time. I would think there would be a ton of
> stuff available, open or otherwise, as we are not doing anything
> unusual. But what I've found seems antiquated and expensive. I was
> asked to evaluate some Viking Software stuff which has the features
> that we need but, man, low tech, 8 character file names,  keyboard
> overlays required, etc.
>
> We process about 10,000 hand written forms a month entered from
> scanned images on screen. Each form is entered twice by separate
> people and compared  for accuracy. some fields are looked up in a
> table  to auto populate other fields which can then be accepted or
> edited. nothing to fancy. Has anyone here run across anything I should
> be looking into?
>
> --
> Tom Penney
>
> _______________________________________________
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