Beyond ‘Web 2.0’ - Hello, RIA space: Microsoft Silverlight, Adobe Apollo/Flex and Sun JavaFX

From: http://garrygolden.net/2007/05/18/beyond-%e2%80%98web-20%e2%80%99-hello-ria-space/

 

We should remember that web pages, as we know it, are only ten years old – and have been built around first generation web programming languages, network architecture and the dominance of the desktop/laptop web experience. There is no shortage of visions about where the web is headed – but what seems certain is that this first age of web experiences is coming to an end. And these changes could accelerate around recent announcements from Microsoft, Adobe and Sun. (Read more below..)

 

What is happening?

We are gearing up for the first real reinvention of the Internet - based on more advanced programming languages, robust network architecture to support streams of video/3D worlds, and mobile (location based) internet experiences.

There have been three (near simultaneous) announcements in the past month – around releases of next generation web platforms: Adobe (Apollo/Flex), Microsoft (Silverlight), and Sun (JavaFX). Each of these platforms has its own niche within the array of web experiences- but they are all focused on one thing: ‘rich internet applications’ –known as the ‘RIA space’. (…nice Wikipedia overview)

 

What does all this mean?

‘Rich’ is pushing ‘web 2.0’ off the center stage as the new buzz word in digital media… Similar to ‘web 2.0’, it is hard to define the ‘RIA space’- and much of it sounds like old buzz from the ‘Dotcom Bubble’. But there is a difference and I don’t believe this is all hype. The web has matured, media companies are finally embracing the digital age, web programmers are innovating at a record pace and users are starting to push changes on the internet. The web experience is becoming more video/3D oriented and mobile net experiences are not too far behind. RIA moves the web experience closer to something more familiar to the world - television.

It could be much easier to engage a wider audience base around seamless streams of visually engaging RIA experiences - rather than ‘point/clicking’ buttons on a html website. Of course the RIA space must go beyond television. RIA’s promise is to redefine expectations for interactivity and user driven experiences - regardless of their choice of accessing the web - e.g. Mac, PC, mobile device, object (i.e. networked alarm clock, car telematics, etc.), or software. Programmers are certain to develop RIA applications for media and enterprise business audiences… we just have to be patient and wait for the momentum to build within the developer community.

 

What is the RIA space?

This RIA version of the Internet should make the web more engaging and profitable.

Rich Internet Applications – live on the web not the desktop. Updates are automatic; no more CD installation set ups. This could change the economics of delivering software and media.

Although the big story of RIA is the software, I suspect new hardware systems will emerge as browsers become the real ‘operating system/OS’ for web experiences. Companies might reach out to a wider audience base of people who are currently intimidated by the hardware side of ‘computers’- and the complications of maintaining desktop based programs. Imagine a thin OLED screen with just enough flash memory, CPU power and wireless connection to deliver a rich web experience at a fraction of the cost of a full desktop set up. Display screens could be set up in every room of our homes and offices.

The implications for delivering advanced web services for consumers and enterprise clients are significant. Some important elements of the RIA space:

* RIA is a visual transformation of the web- especially around streaming HD video, 3D environments and real time interactivity with data (asynchronous); We will be able to manipulate data/images on the web in ways that would seem magical today… (We only need to be patient in waiting for developers to learn these new platforms..!)

* RIA is cross platform – because it is browser based applications can run on PCs, Macs, mobile devices, digital TVs, etc. This could lead to new subscription models and pricing for software, web services and digital forms of all media.

* Rich is about transforming the user interface to be more fun, interactive, engaging, connected, collaborative, etc.

* RIA is about creating a seamless integration between voice, text, video, and virtual worlds. The promise is ‘connected experiences’ that are far beyond anything available on today’s web. (Even the most popular sites (MySpace, YouTube, Digg, etc.) are built on first generation web platforms.)

* RIA will be built upon a more robust server infrastructure (increasingly referred to as ‘cloud computing’) able to handle massive amounts of video/3D and location based data. (See stories on new video/3D world oriented servers from Sun / IBM - read here)

* The RIA space will mature in an era of Terahertz computing. This opens up whole new world of capabilities that we cannot currently imagine. Like manipulating video streams in real-time as they are fed to our display screens through a web browser. TiVo’s disruptive potential will seem like child’s play in a world where individuals can control what images look like as they are fed into our lives.

Who is driving this change?

Geek programmers and web developers– working in a range of new languages – including Ajax, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails, PHP, DOM/DHTML, et al.

Now they have new platforms by Microsoft (Silverlight), Adobe (Flex/Apollo) and Sun (JavaFX). Each system has a strong base of developers who are eager to redefine the web.

How quickly could things evolve?

RIA is about leveraging structural changes to the web. The good news is that we are only at the beginning- and now we have heated competition building around new development platforms from major players in the software world!

The mainstream media was pretty quick to report on the ‘web 2.0’ revolution and I am now watching to see how coverage around the ‘RIA’ space emerges. Until then… have a look at some examples below…

* Silverlight review – at Ars Technica– here)

* Silverlight Beta examples:

Top Banana – from Metaliq design house - a must see!!!… some impressive browser based video editing – should even make Apple-heads jealous (remember, this is browser based…PC or Mac)

Early controls demo from Telerik - see flipping objects here - some pretty amazing controls. I can only imagine the applications for web based content around home design, retail, food, et al.

Netflix – streaming DVD quality images through a browser?! And some ideas for sharing media experiences

Nissan (… implications for advertisers),

Video about Sun’s JavaFX

Adobe Flex based geo location book – via YouTube

Another Apollo / Flex demonstration (From Tom - comments)

RIA blogs- here, and here…