Looking for opinions on this, we're working on a project that is essentially a data entry system for a production line. Heavy data input by users who normally work in Excel or other thick client data systems.

We've been told (as a consequence) that we have to develop this as a thick client using .NET. Our argument was to develop as a web app, as it resolves a lot of issues and would be easier to write and maintain.

Their argument against the web is that (supposedly) the web is not ready yet for a heavy duty data entry system, and that the web in a browser does not offer the speed, responsiveness, and fluid experience for the end-user that a thick client can (citing things such as drag and drop, rapid auto-entry and data navigation, etc.)

Personally, I think that with good form design and JQuery/AJAX, a web app could do everything a thick client does just as well, and they just don't know what they're talking about.

The irony is that a thick client has to go to a lot more effort to manage the deployment and connectivity back to the central data server than a web app would need to do, so in terms of speed I would expect a web app to be faster.

What are the thoughts of those out there? Are there any technologies currently in production use that modern data entry systems are being developed as web apps in?

Appreciate any feedback.

Regards, Rob.