Let's think about this question for a bit: Is AJAX worth adopting?
But let's first define AJAX since it's a relatively new model for
GUI applications. AJAX threatens not only the Java APPLET, but
also Flash, and perhaps some of the things Microsoft does. A
great example of AJAX is at http://maps.google.com/, the interactive local map service that Google recently launched.
The idea is that with modern HTML+CSS, modern browsers, modern
Javascript+DOM techniques, one can mimic a wide variety of GUI
applications. For example I'm typing this into a widget that
looks like a stripped down word-processor. It's creating HTML
that will eventually be uploaded to the blog server software. The
great thing is I don't have to code the HTML. If you search for
"WYSIWYG Javascript HTML editor" you'll find several similar
applications out there.
For many years the "web application" has been popular. At the simplest you have HTML and the FORM elements, the application logic is written on the web-server end and controlled by a sequence of CGI/JSP/PHP/ASP/etc scripts. The advantage is the application logic is centralized, making it easier to update, easier to deploy, and perhaps more secure. The disadvantage is that the user experience is very poor, because of the limited flexibility at the client.
At Java ONE last year, and for a couple years now, the message from the Java Client team has been "we got rich client experience". Anytime you have a real GUI toolkit you can construct a proper rich client experience. This involves good feedback, interactive data checking in filling out forms, a wide variety of GUI components (e.g. sliders or sortable tables or ...), rich presentation quality, etc.
Generally, to have a proper "rich client" experience one has had to either develop a native application and be tied to a specific operating system, or to use Java. There's been some exceptions of course, but in the big picture that's it.
At the same time, the goal is still there. Delivering applications to any client computer.
Some in the world are happy being limited to Microsoft's operating systems. They do have the biggest market share for desktop systems, and hence provide the biggest market to sell into. But many in the world are searching for alternatives, and I think the number is growing with the continuing virus and security problems Microsoft consistently refuses to do anything serious about.
While I prefer people to use a Java solution, this AJAX thing is up-and-coming.
What it offers is a very simple deployment model. One simply visits a web page, and the javascript loads and sets up the user interface. That's it.
Of course both Applets and Flash offer the same model. Clearly some in the world want to use the AJAX approach, by using javascript instead of Applets or Flash.
The "is AJAX worth it" author makes some good points. The makers of web browsers have done a terrible job on the compatibility story, so any application developer using the AJAX approach is going to have to work through the incompatibilities.
(2005-04-22 13:02:09.0) Permalink Comments [0]
