Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) are a reaction to the dumbed-down terminal emulation clients that typify most HTML web pages. Because of the limitations of HTML and JavaScript, Internet clients lack many of the visual navigation and local intelligence features of traditional Windows clients.
In recent years, Macromedia has begun beefing up its Flash player with the new Flex framework to provide an industrial-strength environment for development rich web apps. Microsoft in turn is developing Avalon, a rich Internet environment for its forthcoming Longhorn Windows platform.
For now Macromedia claims a head start, boasting 300 customers for Flex.
Although Macromedia has joined Eclipse to offer a rich development tool, code-named Zorn, to support its Flex framework, IBM last year threw its lot in with Laszlo Systems, a San Francisco-based niche vendor that has open sourced OpenLaszlo, its rich Internet client framework.
In a related development, IBM is also making Faces for Laszlo available on alphaWorks, which will allow developers to use OpenLaszlo in portals and J2EE environments.
