Eric,
Clearly no tool is perfect for everything and we often have to pick the best one for our purpose. All of my desktop application experience is in Clarion for Windows. If you want to write a business application - data in, data out, lot's of business rules - there's nothing better or faster. My experience with Aware IM is that it is like Clarion for the web. Excellent tool for developing a business application. As I work with it, I am continually awed by my ability to produce the functionality I need and maintain an ordered code base. And other than crafting a few rules and processes, really no code writing.
I think there's a curve out there that shows the more automation you have, the less control you have. This is probably true in Aware IM. I couldn't craft a line of php or AJAX to save my soul but I am developing a complex business application in Aware IM. If you know what you're doing you can probably go well beyond the tool. I've never really thought of myself as a programmer anyway. I just want to provide a business solution. This tool gives me that power.
If you find something more suitable for your need, dive in. If you have some actual project you need to complete, you should give Aware IM a chance. I can't compare Aware IM to those other tools, you should do this yourself based on your current need. When I first found Aware IM it really got my attention but I wasn't sure if it was as good as it sounded. I took the 30 day trial and basically started my project and tried to build at least a bit of all of the functionality I needed. Not only was I amazed but I was also well on my way towards project completion (well, the first 90% anyway, still have the second 90% to go).
Good luck on your project. If you find another amazing tools out there, please share.
