I've been asked to put together a server for a client that is going to purchase a new accounting application, Famous Software, a Powerbuilder app that runs against an Oracle backend.

This is a small office, with 5 users total. The recommended server specs blow my mind:

Recommendations for a Site of:
5 Users or Less
· Windows 2003 Server (Standard) or Windows Server 2000 installed as a Member Server (Domain Controller
is ok)
Windows NT Server 4.0 is no longer supported.
· SVGA Monitor (800x600 or greater)
· DVD-ROM or CD-ROM Drive
· Dual Intel Xeon ® Processors (3 GHz or greater)
· 2 GB RAM or greater
· SCSI Hard Drives
· SCSI RAID Controller Card
· Network Card
· TCP/IP Networking
· Backup System (Tape backup system with supporting software is highly recommended)
· Modem (used by Famous Support for RAS)


This is a $16000 machine! All for 5 people to run an app that has about the same functionality as Quickbooks.

And what the heck is with the MODEM!?!? This is 2005, Everything down to a digital watch can do tunneling over the internet.

I have another client with the same number of users that is running an older (3 years) version of this sofware on a PIII 800 with 512 ram. It's not instantaneous to react, but it isn't a dog either. Has Oracle bloated up that badly in 3 years?

Usually when my BS detector gets pegged this hard, it turns out that I am missing something critical. I figured I should ask around before I make a complete idiot of myself.

Do any of you have experience with a similar application? Is this machine really appropriate for this situation?

If not, why do you think they are calling for it? To make their software look cheaper in comparison? To make guys like me happy because we get a big fat hardware sale? I'm stumped.