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Re: Wasting half a trillion dollars?

• From: Anatole Tartakovsky <anatolet@t...>
• To: Al Snell <alaric@a...>,"Bullard, Claude L (Len)" <clbullar@i...>
• Date: Tue, 01 May 2001 01:20:26 -0400

I agree that for real world back-office type database enabled applications
"fat client" beats "server-only" hands down. However, I would not discount
browser as "the best business application platform". Late versions of IE
(i.e. 5.5+) CAN be effectively used for "fat client" types of applications.
Few things often overlooked by "cross platform/browser" developers:
    1. IE5.5+ supports behaviors/custom controls that allow complete
encapsulation of shared javascript code.
    2. XML support is world-class, with shared code model allowing
javascript objects within XSL, thus allowing complete segregation of data
from presentation and high performance model/view controllers.
    3. Support for business functions such as customizable print and print
preview and "user settings"
    4. Customizable HTTPRequest and WebServices allowing true distributed
model.
    5. Direct integration of business applications (including Excel and
Macromedia) via XML

As a matter of fact, in the last few years we were actively converting
existing client-server applications into the browser based model. We ended
up with automated conversion process (via XML of course) that was producing
less javascript code than the original PowerBuilder/PowerScript application
while providing identical look-and-feel, functionality and API for the
developers. Following are the links to the articles in XML Journal,
PowerBuilder Journal and XML DevCon 2001 presentations on the subject:
http://www.sys-con.com/xml/archives/0203/tartakovsky/index.html
http://www.sys-con.com/pbdj/archives/8-3/rasputnis/index.html
http://www.xmlsp.com/xmldevcon01/n5_files/frame.htm

As far as Java on the client goes, the upcoming version of JavaScript
supports object inheritance, implementation of interfaces, precompiled
distribution and shared run-time with C#, VB and C++. Given the "average
developer" skill set in business organizations (imho) JavaScript has better
chances for "language of choice" for business apps than  the Java and/or C#.

Regards,
Anatole Tartakovsky
anatolet@x...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Al Snell" <alaric@a...>
To: "Bullard, Claude L (Len)" <clbullar@i...>
Cc: "W. E. Perry" <wperry@f...>; "XML DEV" <xml-dev@l...>
Sent: Monday, April 30, 2001 11:00 PM
Subject: RE: Wasting half a trillion dollars?


> On Mon, 30 Apr 2001, Bullard, Claude L (Len) wrote:
>
> > People who tell you a web browser is a perfect
> > next generation client need to write a few
> > industrial sized database applications so
> > they can discover the joys of persistent state
> > and client side business rules.
>
> Aye to that. I hear you, brother!
>
> I've developed all too many Web apps now. And yet I remember a discussion
> about GUI design (not as in, "where do we put the buttons", but more
> "writing X windows or MacOS") in which somebody fervently proposed that
> the GUI software was just a Web browser that handled overlapping windows
> (eg, it included its own window manager), and then ALL applications were
> Web apps. He had some odd ideas about the demand for word processing and
> spreadsheets, I expect.
>
> Making all applications emit a Java applet when invoked which runs on the
> GUI client and may talk back to the application proper via RMI is a little
> more like it, methinks...
>
> Horrendous amounts of javascript / DHTML cruft is required to make a Web
> form work anything like a decent GUI in most cases. This is hell to work
> with.
>
> > Len
>
> ABS
>
> --
>                                Alaric B. Snell
>  http://www.alaric-snell.com/  http://RFC.net/  http://www.warhead.org.uk/
>    Any sufficiently advanced technology can be emulated in software
>
>
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