How Else to Interact with Browser (was Re: Revolution Web Browser Plugin)

[Bernard Devlin]

 >>
Just a small correction (or perhaps I misread this). Flex produces
Flash ouput (as swf files). I thought Laszlo did the same, but
perhaps it has options for AJAX output too.
<<

Hi Dave

This year Laszlo decided to target AJAX/DHTML as a delivery mechanism.

I've (occasionally) pointed out on this list the need for a browser  
plugin for Rev - there are 3D game companies with browser plugins,  
and the Squeak people have also done one for Smalltalk - it is  
certainly doable.  However, the complaints about the need to download  
a plugin always apply.  Nevertheless, once that plugin has been  
downloaded and (correctly) installed it is there whenever someone  
comes across Rev stacks.

However, I'm also coming round to the idea that maybe RunRev should  
be augmenting the standalone builder to add a new target - AJAX or  
Flash.  Flash is probably easiest in that there are less variables  
(different browser implementations), but since Laszlo are now doing  
AJAX as a target executable (sorry, if this vernacular is too  
XCode...) when they have been targeting Flash for years, then maybe  
RunRev would be better to go directly to AJAX.  The DoJo javascript  
library is rising to the top as an AJAX library.  I have used it's  
earlier incarnation (as NetWindows) for some years, and it was IMO  
the best of the open-source alternatives.  Javascript/DOM is way more  
powerful than people imagine, but there are so many incompatibilities  
introduced by the different browser vendors.

Anyway, there is a Tasmanian company producing a product called  
Morphik that is doing this for Delphi, c++, c#, and java.  The app is  
produced in those development languages, but can produce a standalone  
version of itself that is basically Javascript/AJAX.

Bernard Devlin