The Disappearing Desktop - It's Real This Time

[Dan Shafer]

Geoff....

Not a bad job of abstraction and generalization, given the  
limitations of both of those methodologies.

The two advantages you mention for Rev are essentially the same (if  
you view command keys, e.g., as UI widgets that just don't have a  
visible representation) and are the very reason AJAX competes well.  
AJAX embodies the potential for a reasonably complete set of UI  
widgets as well. Some of the libraries on the market have more types  
of UI widgets than even Rev (e.g., something called an accordion that  
companies like Macromedia use a lot and that isn't built into Rev but  
is a standard component in at least three of the AJAX libraries I've  
evaluated so far).

So *if* -- and that's a big "if" -- the *only* advantages of Rev over  
AJAX is the UI componentry, then Rev has essentially little or no  
advantage.

But in point of fact, Rev simplifies a lot of the *server-side* stuff  
that is part of the entire end-to-end AJAX solution (notably database  
access abstraction). That's why I think there -- and the development  
of AJAX interface design tools -- is where Rev's 'sweet spot" in the  
AJAX/RIA application "revolution" lies.


On Nov 15, 2005, at 9:23 PM, Geoff Canyon wrote:

> The advantageous differences are:
>
> AJAX -- there isn't just one engine: multiple web browsers  
> supported, some open source.
> AJAX -- the engines are on just about every modern computer.
>
> Revolution -- a reasonably complete set of UI widgets.
> Revolution -- a more application-like interface: menus, command- 
> keys, etc.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dan Shafer, Information Product Consultant and Author
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