It’s been a crazy couple of weeks since MIX. Microsoft announced Silverlight, then Sun announced JavaFX; it seems like everyone is getting into the RIA game (or in Sun’s case, getting back in). As a result, there’s been a ton of digital ink spilled to talk about the war between Adobe/Microsoft/Sun/insert someone else here. I’ve been distracted by a few things I’ll be able to talk about later, but unfortunately I haven’t been as vocal as I could have been while all the buzz is hitting. That’s my fault.
But I think all this talk of strategies and showdowns is incredibly premature. It definitely makes for a good story to talk about Flash killers and/or the downfall of Microsoft, but the reality is much more complex, and actually a lot better. Rich Internet Applications really are taking off and developers and designers from all spheres of technology are starting to realize the importance of a good experience and better software.
We’re really on the cusp of a transformation in how we deliver software. Our web applications are becoming more sophisticated and the platforms we build on top of are permeating across a wide area. There’s also a ton of innovation (as well as hype). We’ve got Flash, Silverlight, JavaFX, Mozilla’s XUL, OpenLaszlo, Dekoh, Apollo, Flex, WPF, a variety of open standard solutions, and a lot more. Is there one right answer? No. Should there be? No. This industry is going to grow at a rapid pace and there is room for a lot of great solutions. Learn a few, see what you like, research the technical merits, and go with it. No company is going to ‘win’ RIAs, just users and software creators.
[tags]Rich Internet Applications, Flash, Silverlight, JavaFX, XUL, OpenLaszlo, Dekoh, Apollo, Flex, WPF, Adobe, Microsoft, Sun[/tags]
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