Browsers, Web Applications, and New Paradigms
Arun Ranganathan
America Online, Inc.
Observations From The Trenches
- The Need For The Browser Won't Go Away Soon (For Now) :-)
- How Can Standards Help In The (New) Web Application Space?
- Desktop Applications: The Web Paradigm Emerges Triumphant
- (But What Does This All Mean For the Browser?)
Notes:
What's Keeping Browsers In Vogue?
- Safety, Security Concerns
- Application Layer Additions (Example: Tab Previews; RSS)
- From AOL (Demo): AOL Browser, Netscape Browser
Notes:
How Can Standards (Still) Help?
- The AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) Paradigm: Unruly But Powerful Tools In Script
- Could We Standardize This?
Notes: www.whatwg.org proposes new approaches to Web Application generation, while recognizing that
scripting won't go away.
AJAX and The Dynamic Application Paradigm
var C=null;try{C=new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP")}catch(e){}
<-- blah blah next case -->
if(!C&&typeof XMLHttpRequest!="undefined"){C=new XMLHttpRequest()}return C}
<-- The New (NON Standard) Zeitgeist Hack -->
Notes: This code is used in a suggestive Search, for example.
The Web Paradigm: Desktop Applications
- XML UI and Scripting Have Won The Day (popularity amongst developers)
- Increase in GUI Toolkits Allowing for XML as Declarative Application Definition
- Script Acts as "Code Behind" Event/Interaction Model
- New Expectations For Web Developers
- Demonstration: Introducing Boxely
Visual Demo: Boxely in IM
<hbox s:vAlign="center">
<spacer s:flex="1"/>
<aolLabel value="<b>Screen Name:</b>"/>
<aolInput tabIndex="1" id="screenNameInput" s:width="175"/>
</hbox>
XML Schema (XSD) is used to define UI entities and style.
Notes: This is where the SignOn Screen for IM is implemented.
Demo of the Boxely Toolkit
- Animation Capabilities Exist
- External Developers Will Provide Useful Feedback
Summary
- Browsers (as we know them) will Stay, Compete and Scale (Devices)
- Standards Ought to Continue To Help Developers Out In The New Interactive Application Space
- "Out Of Browser" Pervasive Applications Will Push Standards In New Directions (If We Choose To Go There)
Notes: The actual syntax is TBD, but this is a demonstration of possibilities.