GUIs, OSes and related

Hi folks,

Another big question, although not so theoretical as the last one:

We've been designing databases for a while now, both web based and
not. I'm interested in thinking about using postgres to develop
non-web based databases (ala access and filemaker pro). These are the
relevant questions:

1) How well Windows (2000/NT/9x)? I've seen a few posts about it
here, although haven't read them, since I wasn't thinking about this
question until today. How easy (or hard) is it to install?

2) What GUI front ends have folks used/designed to work with
postgres? What languages - Perl? C/C++? Python? Tcl/Tk? others?

3) Has anyone developed a solution using postgres on windows and
activeperl (windows)? Can it be done?

Right now, we've decided that for web based stuff,
postgres/cgi-perl/mod-perl is going to be our platform of choice. It
would be cool to find a way to also write non-web database solutions
using this combination. That would make it easier over time to really
put together a set of tools that would last a while.

I guess another possible solution is a postgres/java one. Something
to think about.

I'm also thinking that there isn't at this point a total
cross-platform software solution that allows you to use a truly SQL
based DBMS, both in GUI and web-based form. Filemaker is truly
cross-platform and has web capability, but isn't SQL based. Access is
SQL based and has web capability, but Macs are out of the picture.
Am I wrong here? And is anyone interested in a Mac port of postgres?
(MacOS X might make it real easy.)

Thanks!

Michelle

-------------------------------------------
Michelle Murrain, Ph.D.
President, Norwottuck Technology Resources
mpm@norwottuck.com        www.norwottuck.com