Thank you johan. The back ends are based on Java webservices. It has no reason to be a web-app so we will rather go for a desktop application. (Or make it a web-app and lock the browser to benefit from all the web technologies (e.g. RSS feeds, thin client) Does that makes sense ?) But there is something I don't get:
What is the difference between an RIA desktop application (e.g. in Flex) and a standard desktop application (e.g. Swing based) ? Thank you. johantrax wrote: > > It depends, languages and technologies are tools: use the right one > for the right job. > > So starting at the beginning: Do you want to develop a web-app or a > desktop application? Given your own suggestions I assume you are > familiar with creating a Java-backend. > > First I'll start by ruling out Flash: Yes, you 'can' make an > application with Flash, but it doesn't seems easy to me. I believe > Flash is more about animation/look-n-feel. What you easily CAN do, is > create assets in Flash, and use them for Flex-components. > > I can't help you with Silverlight, it's a big black box to me. Which > at it's release seemed wanting to conquer the Flash(?Flex)-world, but > just lacks the years of experience for it. > > Next Up is 'Standard Webpages'. It's hard to know what you define as > 'standard webpages', but if that includes to be not entirely static > pages, serverside controlled (maybe even some AJAX thrown in), and > you're familiar with that, then why not? However, it's just another > WebInterface, sure you can do amazing stuff with this, but try getting > it working on each browser(version)... > > The Java-GUI-side: you mention JavaFX or Swing-based(fat) clients. > First of all, if you're going for a webapp: drop it. Only 4 letters > apply there: s-l-o-w. (Before the Java-community shoots me: yes, the > speed of Java Web Start has increased astonishing, but please, compare > it to flexApps...) > However if you're going for a desktop-Application, then yeah, go for > JavaFX. Being a Swing/Awt-wrapper, it allows you to fit in plain > Swing-code when you need it. > Do note that at this point JavaFX is only fully released as an > interpreted language. The compiled version is stable at milestone1, > but not yet good enough for a productionenvironment according to me. > > Then there is Flex. When it's a webapp you want, and it has to look > and feel like you want, use it. It's not hard at all to grasp the > concept of how to develop a FlexApplication. The structure of the > language allows you to create anything you need. > Besides, with the recent release of BlazeDS, easy communication with > Java-backends just got free of charge. > And I must say, the community here is great ;) > Flex might require some new logical approach when you're used to > writing Java, since it's completely event-based, but untill now I have > found it worth the effort. > > > Also note that above is written out of personal experience (which is > not to be esteemed to high). Once again, use the tool which fits the > job best, and if you're tight on time use one you know or is easy to > learn (*subtile hint into Flex, after all this is the FlexCoders list*) > > --Johan > > > -- View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Flex-%3C%3E-JavaFX-%3C%3E-Sliverlight-%3C%3E-Flash-tp14384496p14405852.html Sent from the FlexCoders mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
