Hi,

I would use a web interface, because you can take a lot of code and experience from doing the shopping cart -> reuse.

And of course you can limit access to this section of the webserver by host, user, or whatever you want. The user don't need to acommodate to a GUI, he uses the same software (web browser) as he/she usual use. You save time, because, you don't have to create and think about how to style and define the user interaction etc... of course you also need to do this in the CGI version, but you don't need to change concepts, you still work on the same as you have, but you extend it.

And, ok, that's not a potential factor, but it's prettier... because you handle there with html,css, etc...

Another way you could think about, for testing and experimentation is to doing it with XUL

Regards,