You are only supposed to be up around 250 words for the Rationale for the Proposed Product. But look through this list, and make your 250 words the best, most appropriate 250 words you can.
Why a computer program
- see exemplar
- what would be easier with a computer that is not easy now?
- are there things that totally cannot be done without a computer?
Why stand-alone application running on one machine
or Online / online storage
- Stand Alone:
- only the client will be using it
- no need to worry about storing the data elsewhere, and rely on network connections,
- less prone to “hacking”,
- faster processing if data is stored locally
- Online Operation or storage:
- online storage or retrieval\
- user can access the data anywhere any time
Why Netbeans
- IDE - integrated development environment: editor, compiler, debugger,
- debugger allows stepping through to find errors
- lots of free libraries, including GUI libraries
- from the original makers of Java, Sun Microsystems
- still free, supported by Oracle
- a large community of developers, with lots of online help and tutorials
- free
>>> if the student has the technical skills and access to the software required to develop the product:
- taught in the class, particularly GUI with Swing
>>> whether the client’s hardware and software is compatible with the product:
- Netbeans runs on Macs no problem
Why Java
>>> if the student has the technical skills and access to required to develop the product:
Java is the language learned in the OOP option we are doing
Big community/resources
- i.e. lots of available libraries
- lots of these are free…
>>> whether the client’s hardware and software is compatible with the product:
- The Java Virtual Machine can be installed on any operating system, including my client’s (Windows, for example), so this application can run on any computer.
i.e. “platform independence.
>>> how security implications for development & operation of product resolvable:
- As a modern, continually supported language, Java has lots of built-in security features,
- And it has robust “Exception handling”, particularly with IO errors.
- Java has well established GUI libraries (i.e. older AWT, & newer “Swing”)
Why OOP
- Encapsulation - increased reliability
- Inheritance - easier to organize - “Modularity”
and easier to understand (especially if you have complex, hierarchical structures)
- representing real-life “objects”, so OOP approach makes sense
Why a GUI Application
>>> if the student has the technical skills and access to the software required to develop the product:
- GUI was also covered in class, plus, lots of online tutorials.
>>> whether the client’s hardware and software is compatible with the product:
- The client is more used to working with GUI applications, rather than console-based input.
- Allows something specifically visual about your program
>>> how any security implications for the development and operation of the product can be resolved:
- GUI features allow for making sure the right kind of data is input, through, for example, drop-down menus, instead of just straight user text input.