Sound Strategy
Ten Things to Think About When Comparing Windows and Browser-based Applications
Generally, industry analytical focus is brought to bear on the difference
between locally operated versus remotely hosted software services, with the
advantages and disadvantages of each made explicit and compared. Thus, local
software — whether Windows based or browser based — is compared with an ASP
alternative no matter the style of the user interface.
But there's another way to slice and dice the technology picture — namely,
by how functionality and information is presented to the user; that is, as
traditional Windows applications or browser-based applications. Since Windows
applications can be made to run locally and remotely (through helper software
like Citrix) and browser-based applications can also run locally (on a local
Web server) and remotely, maybe it's worth looking more at what Windows versus
browser-based is like to use, rather than where the application lives and
who tends it.
A caveat: the issues below are much more complicated than as presented. Check
your technical guru first before you spend any money, but there are important
practical differences between Windows and browsers no matter what anyone may
tell you.
- Windows can support a much richer user interface than a browser can, at
least provided that the browser is limited to running HTML. HTML was designed
especially to support the presentation and linking of read-only documents,
with some concession to simple forms.
- Early attempts to duplicate Windows functionality in a browser via downloadable
controls proved unsatisfactory for the developer and the user. It's not
a good idea to try to reproduce Windows inside a browser.
- Scripting languages, dynamic HTML, active server pages and other techniques
can help a bit, but can't turn an HTML form into a Windows application.
- Complex field-by-field editing and repainting parts of a form on the fly
is standard operating procedure in Windows. But heavy duty form edits and
changing a form's presentation while in the browser usually require a round
trip to the server and repainting the whole browser window, which can cause
delay and flicker.
- Browser-based applications require new levels of software control (e.g.,
session management) that aren't necessary for Windows applications.
- Browser-based applications can be much more scalable than Windows applications
by using load balancing and other tools provided by the Web hosting infrastructure.
- Windows applications can look like almost anything, but browser-based
applications tend to look more like one another; that is, be more standard.
- People seem to find browser-based applications very easy to use and are
often confused by Windows applications.
- Browser-based applications can readily connect to other Web-based applications,
thus making it much easier to integrate diverse and remote applications
than it is with Windows.
- Browser-based systems are more flexible in some respects than Windows
apps and can be delivered on a variety of devices (PC, PDA, cell phone)
and through a variety of communication channels (wire, wireless), providing
ubiquitous remote access.
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