I understand that there are lots of situations I have not met yet, so this might explain my ignorance, but I don't see what you get from using a client-side app over a browser for most databases uses; after all, from the user's point of view, it's always tabbing from one field to the next (providing the web form is correctly designed, of course)
Also, I would think most data in the form _should_ come from dropdowns populated from the database, for obvious reasons of data integrity? It certainly is the case in my apps.
For those of us who grew up on real computers the only appropriate way to get from one input field to the next is hitting the enter key. You know what that does in a browser...makes efficient data input impossible. NOBODY should have to hit the tab key to move the cursor to the next field. Using the mouse is insulting enough to move from one drop down to the next (which can also be done by hitting the enter key in a real application). If you are a hunt-and-peck typist, of course, it probably doesn't make any difference.
Stuff gets to the database by being input by somebody. For Accounts Payable (AP) that is usually a clerk who enters orders/invoices all day. There are many input fields involved for item, rate, units, etc., etc. including sometimes lengthy descriptions. That's how stuff gets into the database and doing that in a browser is extremely tedious and VERY inefficient.
For people who are only checking inventory, checking invoice status, order status, credit status, etc. a browswer interface is superb. Why bother writing a real application for something that trivial?
The point is, use the right tool for the task. It's not always a browser and those who think so are showing their ignorance of a huge and varied technology world.
