Rich Internet Applications and Web 2.0

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I have a guest post over at CenterNetworks regarding Where Rich Internet Applications fit into Web 2.0. It focuses mostly on the Flash platform and how it enables a much greater experience and really more powerful web applications. I remain convinced that while Ajax has brought us ahead by leaps and bounds, the developers and users are going to need more powerful tools and platforms to build the next generation of web 2.0 applications. For the web, Flash is the biggets and most mature game in town, which makes it ideal for Web 2.0 applications that are ready to make the jump to the next level.

Thanks to Campbell for looking over the post and helping me refine it. I’m hoping to do more posts like this tha tie RIAs back to wider topics and help show how all of these technologies are relevant to what’s happening on the web right now. If you have any suggestions, drop me a line.

[tags]Rich Internet Applications, Web 2.0, Flash Platform[/tags]

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  3. What Google Trends Says About Rich Internet Applications
  4. Rich Internet Applications on Read/WriteWeb
  5. Rich Internet Advertising
  • http://blog.xsive.co.nz Campbell

    Hahaha Ryan thanks for the link back, and good work on getting the topic out to a broader range of people, and Pimping Flash, Flex and Apollo.

  • Xiaolei Shi


    For the web, Flash is the biggets and most mature game in town, which makes it ideal for Web 2.0 applications that are ready to make the jump to the next level.

    Biggest. However, Flash has various fundamental problems:

    1. Ctrl-F (find) does not work for flash
    2. Issues with Search Engines finding information in flash content.
    3. Print Preview
    4. Suseptibility to decompilation.

    What Flash does offer is a unique representation of data that is not askewed toward text. (refer to Firstborn sites for examples). To many designers/developers this seems a rather accessory point, but it has been proven many visually organized information aid in the digestion of the information presented.

    Moreover with the introduction of Flash 9 and the JIT compiler we are seeing more capabilities in Flash to handle data comparable to Java and even some 3D rendering on a ‘bounded’ level [Papervision]. However, with the increase in capabilities there we also get a view of the limitations of Flash, mostly due to Adobe’s careful eye on security. [refer to my rant on the nerfing of SoundTransform, and JD's post 'Flash spies on you']. I don’t have much to say about Flex because I have yet to see application that interests me that utilizes Flex. I think the components are good for prototyping but fundamentally drab and slow.

    With respect to your post on CenterNetworks.com:

    When you cut through the buzzwords, the web is a much better place than it was even 2 years ago.

    That’s very much debatable. Botnets, XSS scripting attacks, … Internet predation at a greater ease. Yes, truly more human.

    Apollo is a difficult question. How is Adobe going to handle security? How fast can the applications be? Is the library comparable to Java? How fast/easy can I access my sources of data? Is my work protected? Is there an ugly red A?

    Web 2.0 is evolving, and the technologies that will help build it are here.

    Not exactly, no. I think at the moment Web 2.0 is be more synonymous with AdSense. I mean if you think about it Apollo almost seems kind of antithetical to the natural development of the web towards more open standards. It feels like a business decision more than anything to reinvent Java.

    At its inception Flash clearly had a niche: smooth vector animation in a 28.8-56K world, just not so certain with Apollo.

  • http://blog.xsive.co.nz Campbell

    Hey Xiaolei,

    I will be the first to agree with you about your points 1 and 3. I was probably one of the only people to sigh when I herd that the flash player was going to stall at 9 for a while, to give the player a deeper penatration, and to coincide with the Apollo launch.

    I figure now they have things sorted its time to revisit these age old points you outlined that have hindered the platform for so long. Points that other applications achieve with relative ease. Points that if the developer were to implement would take some serious time/hacking.

    Adobe Give me my CTRL + F PLEASE!!! I cant be bothered scanning the form of results to find a keyword. Make it popup a specific to the flash player search when the activeX has focus.

    But I would have to dissagree to a certain level with point 2 and 4.

    2. Issues with Search Engines finding information in flash content.

    Most of these rich applications will not rely on search engines so heavily but rather agrrigation of API’s (like RSS etc). Google indexing a companies version of online/offline accounting software really isnt an issue. An IP TV software like Joost will use its own proprietry searching and indexing ( I mention this as Joost “UI” would be possible in Flex )

    4. Suseptibility to decompilation.

    Havent found an html page that I couldn’t view the source of and squirel through to javascript etc.
    And at the end of the day I think it might be a null issue, any decent Flex developer can reproduce the software we are likely to see start popping up, and would rather start from scratch than with a muddled decompiled source.
    Sure Java is probably the hardest to decompile….but delivery will be the key.

    And these are only my views, But your overall point I agree with. Horses for courses really. Evaluate what your users are trying to do and use the best solution for the problem.

  • http://blog.digitalbackcountry.com Ryan Stewart

    Xiaolei, excellent points, and I think you touched on some of the things Flash needs to work on. Obviously Flash doesn’t behave like the rest of the browser because (for better or worse) it has different rules.

    But specifically on your comments for Apollo. If Web 2.0 is all about AdSense (which I think could be believed) then why can’t Apollo open up AdSense on the desktop? That’s the beauty of Apollo, it’s a new game. Smart developers and business men now have a tool at their disposal that can take advantage of a new market. Not everyone is going to use it well, but those that do, and those that innovate around it will be able to build very profitable properties.