From: john e
The Java platform itself does not imply a specific application
architecture or distribution strategy.
You've made a lot of good points. Java offers a whole gamut of architecture and distribution alternatives. When you add in the dizzying array of supporting frameworks, it's hard to come up with a strategy that a majority can agree on.
Pete Helgren and I help start a company that pursued a lot of alternative development tracks, and did prototype development on even more. After several years of internal politics, the company imploded and split up, but the remaining active shareholders seem to have settled on Adobe Flex-Flash for the front end, and PHP on the back. Adobe's RIA is more focused. But is it right for enterprise class systems?
I never fully understood Adobe's RIA, but I think I had a misconception that it might integrate well within a browser portal context. However I now see that the architecture draws you back to a thick client-server, or stand-alone desktop model.
My personal ideology for enterprise class systems like ERP, is more in-line with the portal concept; a single point of authentication, authorization, and access, to a broad range of applications, that may be running on different servers, or different run-time environments, or under different library lists, or under different fiscal years. The portal supplies the menu system. Different users see different menus. Where most applications would share a common security framework. Where any application could share from among common utilities supplied by the portal.
It seems to me that a technology like Adobe's RIA leads you to package those types of services into the applications themselves, through the build process. Then you're faced with the traditional distribution and support dilemma as your deployment packages get bigger and more complex.
Nathan.
midrange.com
