Rich Client

Typically you hear client software as being either Thin Client (browser, WebApp) or Fat Client.

I'll define the range between those 2 points as "rich client".

Argh, the below is very sloppy.

Let's try to draw cleaner lines between these types of apps.

Even these lines are fuzzy. Especially in the Microsoft architecture, you can easily imagine a web page triggering the download/install/launch of a VisualBasic app which runs in a separate window/memory, etc. The trick is getting your foot in the door - hence my Bundle Many Runtimes ideal.


Some possible features/benefits/parameters:

  • better GUI (e.g. form widgets) than straight HTML

  • offline use

  • better performance (lower lantency) for certain tasks because functional code runs on the local client on a local cache of data.

  • using a P2P architecture to avoid scaling and reliability issues associated with central servers (or TupleSpace?)

Some possible technologies (which don't necessarily provide all the above features) include:

A big issue with rich clients is getting user acceptance.

  • how much work is involved in setting up the framework and custom application?

  • what is the financial cost of the runtime and custom app?


mozilla is a piece of shit. give it up netscape!

  • the key response is "for what? compared to what?" Because it drives me nuts in a variety of ways, but I'm still using it for almost everything... --Bill

Another technology: ULC - Rich clients for J2EE http://www.canoo.com/ulc


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