Hi,
After many years on the market the success of the combination of DHTML
& JavaScript is not so convinced. For example many Insurance
Companies, Banks, etc. already are replaced their DHTML/JavaScript
Clients with Adobe Flex (
over
100 million installations) technology.
The question is what is the Adobe Flex technology? This is a new better
implementation of one old technology which exists in Java from many
years: Java Web Start (JNLP) + Swing. So, my idea is to start new open
source project which to implement better the same old idea:
- OSGi based client (Felix or/and Equinox);
- All kind of authentication (Login/Logout/Registration) mechanisms and
forms: Username/Password and/or Certificate based (file, smart card),
etc. to be integrated in the client;
- The rest forms (OSGi Bundles) required from the application depends
of the user role and should be downloaded after the authentication. For
that OSGi Bundle Repository can be used. If I am not wrong the Apache
OBR is the RI.
- If the client will need of full access to the client computer
resources, then all bundles should be signed. Similar to JWS
specification.
This standardized client will ensure a standard way for application
starting and deployment. The communication with the server side can be
Web Services, RMI/CORBA, etc.
Now in the Java EE are specified 2 types of Application Clients:
http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee/application-client_5.xsd
http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee/javaee_web_services_client_1_2.xsd
Also, I try to use NetBeans as Application platform but this is not
possible because NetBeans is not OSGi based. For comparison Eclipse RCP
offers very well defined specification for Rich Client Platform.
I am not so sure what will be better for the UI: Swing/SwingX or JavaFX?
Regards,
Miro.