Rich Internet Applications(RIA) for Programming e-Commerce

Rich Internet Applications(RIA) for Programming e-Commerce Andrzej P.UrbańskiInstitute of Computer Science Poznań University of Technology

PRESENTATION GOALWhat Students should use for e-commerce programming? • Choice • PHP/MySQL/HTML – todays laboratory equipment • Open Laszlo – adviced to my candidates for master certificate, but they rarely wants to learn unknown even during studies tool • Why choice is difficult? • PHP/MySQL/HTML is too much popular for being seen as a tool for professionals • OpenLaszlo is easy to install on PC, but not easy to manage as a laboratory server (Tomcat appl.)

How peole use e-commerce service? • before www (and iTunes now) • download native code(.exe) from ftp • install program on our computer • call program which can use Internet connections • www:universal browser already installed • put http address into browsers field • use the latest version of software not bothering to install

Current www disadvantages - HTML Browser Server Page page request page script WWW server page code Page Typically HTML page is updated as a one piece making great redundancy in sending to browser many times the same data. HTML page consist of typical components rather than basic and general drawing instruction.

What is RIA? • one page resides for a long time enabling rich functionality like WIN.EXE • suitable page parts can refresh on each event, which influence on it • user can with the same page make some attempts changing parameters when trying to obtain requested results • EXAMPLES: • buying sport shoes • buying a car

Flash • Flash plug-in to browser is additional interpreter of data from Internet rendering them on user’s screen • Flash scripts are multimedia rich • Flash scripts could be easily partially updated • Flash could use vector graphics, but even that typical application is rather slow

XML • XML unlike HTML(which is a language bind to browser) could be used for case-specific communication • XML could be used as a language to exchange data between server and browser • This technique could be much more flexible than sending HTML and even make faster communication than native Flash scripts

Flex 1.0 and 2.0 • Flex uses browser’s Flash plug-in, but adds XML communication • Flex is expensive, team oriented tool • Flex forces usage of Action Script

Open Laszlo • Open Laszlo is an easy to install Tomcat application • Open Laszlo is an open source • Open Laszlo has rich documentation and easy to use tutorial introduction • Open Laszlo makes use of Flash plug-in much easier and programmer oriented

Open Laszlo • Open Laszlo • Interactive introduction • Amazon in Laszlo • Laszlo in entertainment • beer adverticing game: WIN-EXE, Laszlo • generalized Tick-Tack Toe • shop in rpg game

Frame-based site • HTML page is divided on subparts partially covering browser window • using Java Script one can selectively refresh any frame from event in any(other) frame • OnChange=„parent.FunctionFrame.location.href=content.php?par=1”

AJAX AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) • ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP"); • XMLHttpRequest();

AJAX software libraries • AdvancedAJAX 1.1 • OpenRico • BackBase

Advanced AJAX • www.anakin.us • EXAMPLE: Lookup of the table

Open Rico • EXAMPLES

BackBase.com • SHOP • PORTAL • TRAVEL

What is appriopriate for my students? • Commercial are too costly • Tomcat-based are too much resource consuming. • Flash plug-in based are not necessary for students experiments • OpenRico is probably too much complex • Advanced AJAX is the most promising

Thank you

Rich Internet Applications(RIA) for Programming e-Commerce