Yet Another Hype

Om zomaar wat hypes te noemen:
Web Applications, XML, PDF.

Eerst was client-server de hype, nu wordt alles omgebouwd naar Web Applicaties.
Wanneer blijken Web Applicaties dan weer "not done"?
Zo blijven we wel met zijn allen lekker bezig ...

Zie deze pagina's voor het verschil tussen de nederlandse en engelse uitleg:
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Client-servermodel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Client-server
[quote]
These days, clients are most often web browsers, although that has not always been the case. Servers typically include web servers, database servers and mail servers.
[/quote]

Hoezo geen client-server meer?
Oude wijn in nieuwe zakken: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model-View-Controller-model


http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jspa?threadID=605295&messageID=3321842
[quote]
New To Java - What have I not done
[/quote]
Dit lijkt wel een gewetensvraag.

http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/XML
XML betekent meer envelop dan data en is zeker niet bedoeld om interne systemen mee te koppelen.
Hoe zwaarder de envelop hoe meer portokosten voor dezelfde brief.

http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Document_Format
PDF is zowat eigendom van Adobe (http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe)
Microsoft, Sun, Adobe, aan hoeveel duivels kun je je ziel verkopen?
En je geld spenderen aan licenties.

By the way in Word 2007 kun je je document opslaan (of e-mailen) als PDF:
http://www.websonic.nl/pctips/office2007word/word_opslaanalspdfbestand.php

PDF is een bestandsformaat dat het moeilijk maakt, maar meer ook niet, om de inhoud te wijzigen: http://www.tinkernut.com/archives/31
[quote]

How To Edit PDF Files For Free

This tutorial will show you ways to read, edit, and create PDF files without spending any money. It requires 3 different pieces of software:

- http://www.foxitsoftware.com
- http://www.acrosoftware.com
- http://www.hellopdf.com

[/quote]

http://www.quirksmode.org/oddsandends/webapplications.html
[quote]
Web Applications, promise or hype?

Keep it simple

As you see, JavaScript is inherently superior to any other language for writing Web applications because it is already there.

Conservatively estimated, 90% of the Web users have JavaScript installed and ready for use. There is no need to wait for specifications, you can start creating Web applications right away. The strong and weak points of JavaScript are well known, skilled developers are available, browser incompatibilities have been documented.

Why do people nonetheless search for complicated solutions? Why do they ignore the simple one that is right in front of them? Why don't they keep it simple?

Sometimes I feel that JavaScript's availability is its main weakness. A language that already works everywhere, and that doesn't need herds of objects and classes and APIs and stuff, can't be the right tool for a complex programming job. Besides, using something that is already there doesn't earn you karma points in the programming nirvana. Therefore "serious" programmers are forced to ponderously reinvent the wheel time and again.

Unfortunately for them, any attempt to implement Web applications without JavaScript will result in a terrible waste of time and resources. JavaScript is the only possible solution, since it is the only exisiting solution.

[/quote]

http://www.lizatec.com/LIZATEC/XMLHYPEOFZEGEN/TECHNISCHEINTERFACE

[quote]
Maar ga nu niet blindelings alleen maar XML interfaces bouwen, er zijn twee dingen die je goed in de gaten moet houden:

• Een XML interface heeft een interface beheer systeem nodig.
• XML is niet efficiënt.
  Een systeem zal door XML altijd langzamer worden. Altijd!

[/quote]

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030714.html
[quote]

PDF: Unfit for Human Consumption

PDF Usability Crimes

The usability problems that PDF files cause on websites or intranets are legion:

• Linear exposition. PDF files are typically converted from documents that were intended for print, so the authors wouldn't have followed the guidelines for Web writing. The result? A long text that takes up many screens and is unpleasant and boring to read.
• Jarring user experience. PDF lives in its own environment with different commands and menus. Even simple things like printing or saving documents are difficult because standard browser commands don't work.
• Crashes and software problems. While not as bad as in the past, you're still more likely to crash users' browsers or computers if you serve them a PDF file rather than an HTML page.
• Breaks flow. You have to wait for the special reader to start before you can see the content. Also, PDF files often take longer time to download because they tend to be stuffed with more fluff than plain Web pages.
• Orphaned location. Because the PDF file is not a Web page, it doesn't show your standard navigation bars. Typically, users can't even find a simple way to return to your site's homepage.
• Content blob. Most PDF files are immense content chunks with no internal navigation. They also lack a decent search, aside from the extremely primitive ability to jump to a text string's next literal match. If the user's question is answered on page 75, there's close to zero probability that he or she will locate it.
• Text fits the printed page, not a computer screen. PDF layouts are often optimized for a sheet of paper, which rarely matches the size of the user's browser window. Bye-bye smooth scrolling. Hello tiny fonts.

Users Hate PDF

In several recent usability studies, users complained woefully whenever they encountered PDF files.

[/quote]