Conclusion

How different is server-based development from traditional client-side software development? In general, it is very differentbut different does not imply worse . The requirements are merely diverse and in some ways more intense .

The differences between traditional client development and server development are changing the world of software development. First, servers must run unattended, a requirement that means server applications must find alternative ways to handle and report problems. Second, resource leaks are hidden bugs that are much more likely to be revealed by server applications than by traditional client-based applications; resource leaks are not obscured by the on/off cycle common with client-based applications. Finally, multitasking is essential for most developers of server-based applications.

The resulting systems can be the antidote for what ails corporate IT professionals and independent software vendors alike. By moving more functionality to powerful microprocessor-based PC servers, the total cost of ownership for client PCs can decrease, while the server still remains less remote than the glass houses of yesterday 's mainframes. Perhaps as the newer Web-based systems become fully deployed, client/server systems will finally begin to realize the promise of free software movement to clients , with minimal client intervention.