[jbaker]

One problem I have had with BI suites (specifically JasperSoft but it applies elsewhere) is the bolt-on nature of the solution. I found security integration, with a web app, to be a major pain. But the worst part was the UI and feature set. Honestly, I think modern web dev can be a real alternative to these packaged deals ... of course depending on the circumstances. What do others think?

Another issue I have is that the packaged solutions ~tend~ towards some kind of interface where they are eventually essentially presenting a join syntax to the user. This doesn't seem right to me. I think the value of the solution really needs to be at least a level higher than that. But when you think about it, what else is a generic tool going to do?

I'm really interested in other people's opinions on this. I recognize I am in the minority.