With a SQL Server back-end and Microsoft .Net front-end User Interface, the Microsoft Smart Client system enjoys the same application security, reliability, data integrity and scale advantages of the Client-Server method, is fully Internet-enabled like a Browser-based application, and supports the full rich User Interface of MS Windows applications.

PCA frequently recommends Smart Clients to our customers, primarily because this approach offers the best advantages available to both I/T and End Users, and Smart Client applications are often less expensive to develop than MS Access-based applications (and about half the cost of Browser-based applications).  Learn more about Microsoft Smart Client applications

Microsoft Smart Client Application Scorecard
Number of End Users	Any	Internet and Offline
Application Usability	Excellent	Full standard Windows GUI
Application Performance	Excellent	Application design dependent
Application Reliability	Excellent	Application design dependent
Data Integrity	Excellent	Application design dependent
Application Security	Excellent	Uses Database server security and Desktop security
Maintenance Burden	Low	Standard database server

Web Browser Application Scorecard
Number of End Users	Any	IE Browser
Application Usability	Limited	Simple forms and linear workflow
Application Performance	Excellent	Application design dependent
Application Reliability	Excellent	Application design dependent
Data Integrity	Excellent	Application design dependent
Application Security	Excellent	Uses Database server security and Web Server security
Maintenance Burden	Low	Standard database server

Smart Client applications (aka "Rich Internet Applications") look and perform just like Microsoft Office/Desktop applications -- but they are deployed, automatically maintained, and enable real-time SQL Server Database sharing directly over a secure Internet. See example Smart Client applications. A true merger of the desktop and the Internet, Smart Client applications are viewed by many to represent the next major wave in computing platforms.