Second generation application development tools are not meeting users’ enterprise requirements says Second Generation Client/Server; Navigating the Application-Migration Pitfalls, a new study from the Newton, Massachusetts-based Business Research Group. It is based on a survey of 100 mainly US users that have implemented enterprise-wide transaction processing applications in client-server environments. Firms surveyed averaged 5,118 employees with data processing budgets of $14m drawn from finance, retail, health care, government and manufacturing industries. The report examines problems that companies face migrating to second generation client-server tools. The critical issues apparently fall into several categories: organizational change, training and performance and functionality, and 37% of respondents said staff learning curves were their chief concern; 25% said compatibility was their number one concern; 24% said cost; 18% ease of use; 17% said tools features; and 15% perfo rmance and response times. 71% of respondents said new organizational models were required to implement and use client- server tools efficiently. However, the changing nature of applications and complexity requirement has promoted tool functionality to centre stage, the report says, with ease of use now a less important concern. 75% of respondents said the cost and difficulty of migrating legacy applications is a deterrent to moving to client-server environments.
