One of the biggest complaints I hear about PowerBuilder is how the applications developed with it end up looking old and outdated. PowerBuilder allows developers to create complicated, robust, and efficient business applications. What it doesn't do is offer an effective presentation. Sometimes lackluster presentation can hurt an application's marketability. Unfortunate as it is, the look of the application is what gives users their first impression. An old-looking application just won't impress.

What to Do About It...
The first option would be to get your hands on some third-party components; however, here are three big drawbacks to doing this. First, you have to deal with compatibility issues. Most UI vendors most likely don't test their components against PowerBuilder. The second thing to consider is future support. There's always the risk that the vendor who created the third-party components may go out of business. The third thing to consider is cost. There may not be room in an application's budget for third-party products.