>Correct me if I'm wrong, but there is no need to compete with Microsoft.
Since you asked I'll go ahead and correct you, at least from my perspective which is based on what I've heard, seen, and where I see things going. ;-) >Both companies haven't really got competing products sold as so, and >while I see it mentioned a lot, Avalon is not a foundation for RIA >development. Sure it is if you think outside the browser, which is where this is all going. It's called a Rich Internet Application, not a Rich Browser Application. An internet application doesn't necessarily need to run inside a browser. At this point even with Flex the browser is pretty irrelevant except as a delivery mechanism. MS's idea with this (and I've heard them talk about it in person a few times) is to have a Flex-like experience that's integrated into the OS, but that can be distributed like an internet app. From what I understand their concept is very similar to IBM's now-abandoned Sash, which is most certainly an internet app but has nothing to do with a browser. > Avalon is merely the new surrounding framework for graphics >(vectorized), and XAML would be the MXML for WinForms, not the web. XAML >introduces a new way of building Windows applications by using the XML >format XAML (which is actually a direct translation of Avalon function >calls) so people, just like Flex, design the interface of their >application with XML but purely for pure Windows applications. But it's an internet-enabled Windows application, which is why I think you're a bit off the mark with some of your assumptions. This space is still being defined right now and there will be a whole new class of RIAs that won't run in a traditional web browser. There's absolutely going to be competition between all they players, and as usual MS is going to be late to the party, which is why Macromedia and Adobe need to pounce on the opportunity they have right now. We're already seeing non-browser-based internet apps (albeit a bit poorly implemented in my mind) with Central, and from what I've seen and heard MS wants to take that notion one step further and have native OS integration with these types of applications. This is also precisely what Macromedia has said they'd like to see happen with Flash as well--the ability to build internet apps that run on the desktop. The only difference is the Flash-based apps would be cross-platform, which is where Macromedia and Adobe would have a distinct advantage over Microsoft. Matt ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:203491 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
