ASP.Net or WPF (C#)? [closed]

Question

Our team is divided on this and I wanted to get some third-party opinions.

We are building an application and cannot decide if we want to use .Net WPF Desktop Application with a WCF server, or ASP.Net web app using jQuery. I thought I'd ask the question here, with some specs, and see what the pros/cons of using either side would be. I have my own favorite and feel I am biased.

Ideally we want to build the initial release of the software as fast as we can, then slow down and take time to build in the additional features/components we want later on. Above all we want the software to be fast. Users go through records all day long and delays in loading records or refreshing screens kills their productivity.

Application Details:

• I'm estimating around 100 different screens for initial version, with plans for a lot of additional screens being added on later after the initial release.
• We are looking to use two-way communication for reminder and event systems
• Currently has to support around 100 users, although we've been told to allow for growth up to 500 users
• We have multiple locations

Items to consider (maybe not initially in some cases but in future releases):

• Room for additional components to be added after initial release (there are a lot of of these... perhaps work here than the initial application)
• Keyboard navigation
• Performance is a must
• Production Speed to initial version
• Low maintenance overhead
• Future support
• Softphone/Scanner integration

Our Developers:

• We have 1 programmer who has been learning WPF the past few months and was the one who suggested we use WPF for this.
• We have a 2nd programmer who is familiar with ASP.Net and who may help with the project in the future, although he will not be working on it much up until the initial release since his time is spent maintaining our current software.
• There is me, who has worked with both and am comfortable in either
• We have an outside company doing the project management, and they are an ASP.Net company.
• We plan on hiring 1-2 others, however we need to know what direction we are going in first

Environment:

• General users are on Windows 2003 server with Terminal Services. They connect using WYSE thin-clients over an RDP connection. Admin staff has their own PCs with XP or higher. Users are allowed to specify their own resolution although they are limited to using IE as the web browser.
• Other locations connects to our network over a MPLS connection

Based on that, what would you choose and why?

I am especially interested in hearing from developers who have experience with both ASP.Net and WPf.

Answer 1

Reasons to choose WPF:

• Much faster and easier development than ASP.NET and jQuery
• Much easier to implement quick incremental background loading of data
• Much easier to implement client-side caching of commonly used data (important for remote offices)
• More efficient data transfer from server (can use advanced WCF features unavailable to web browser)
• Keyboard navigation better, since you can easily define shortcuts, etc, and not be limited by browser
• Maintenance overhead much better using MVVM pattern
• Softphone integration easy

Reasons to choose ASP.NET and jQuery:

• None that I can see

In your scenario I would definitely choose WPF.