Ajax/Web2.0

[fouedex]

Hi all,

Eclipse workbench allows for now to define a new action sequence (which i propose to call "AC" for typing convenience), or to gather templated AC into
each other.

This looks great for me, as eclipse is the more java-IDE never developed, and as the roadmap plans wonderful extensions.

This is an ISV point of view, but, end-user may find it useful to develop their own AC, using a simple web browser, to deal with the same tasks, directly into the platform.

If i understand well the global philosophy of the platform, developing a new "business solution", means either dealing with XML editing, or using eclipse workbench to develop local apps, and promote them on the final server.

What about the possibility to use a simple browser to directly edit, create and manage new ACs ?

Shouldn't ajax/dhml web2.0 possibilities be considered as a way to reach more needs ?

Just imagine for one second the power gained, if accessing 127.0.0.1:8080, like in the demo, lead to a page giving the possibility to drag ACs and chain them (defining outputs/inputs/resources via a simple drag&drop) directly into a web browser. Creating AC in that manner would also be such an added value.

I am not using any plugin to write this message, why should i need one to write a business process, which can be considered as a complex "system message" ?

Thanks 4 any thougth.

[jdixon]

These are interesting ideas. Our initial aim is to target solution developers who can use a desktop designing tools. There will be considerable training, support, and security issues if you let an end user create their own action sequences, effectivley letting them program the BI platform on their own using a browser. Using desktop tools also makes version tracking, validation, change management much easier.

James

[fouedex]

Hi,
These are interesting points of view. Nevertheless, as far as Web goes on, desktop apps & browser web apps get closer, general network technologies helping for that.
Actually, my point of view is that, if developers & deciders could speak the same "web based" language, which is the only latter (approximatevly) understand, it would be a great step.

Using desktop tools also makes version tracking, validation, change management much easier.
This statement is very general :

Does a car driver need to know anything about engines theories, to simply drive a car ?
What i am saying is that you should consider developers as end-users, and that "well-thought" accessiblity to a platform, does not necessarily implies bad versioning or security holes (especially if you consider a pre-promote testing environement).
Ergonomy is the key word for all of the previous concerns.
You guys, have a wonderful business-shaping tool.
So please, to not let ergonomy concerns break its potential.
Looking forward to hear back from you.
F++

[jdixon]

It is true that if careful choices are made the technologies for desktop and web applications can become closer. Unfortunately our target environment is 'whatever technologies our customers have chosen'.

One of our primary architectural drivers is the fact that Business Intelligence is (if it is of any use) always part of a bigger process, and so our platform is designed to be embedded within other people processes and technologies (the selection of which we have no control over).

I agree with all of your points about accessibility and potential. An issue is that we are building enormous value into the platform very quickly. We have a lot more design tools to create and we feel that we can build them a lot quicker for desktop use. We have plan to increase our web-accessible toolset but our first priority is to remove the 'XML edit' burden as quickly as possible. Desktop design tools are acceptable for most people and generally web-based designers lag behind desktop equivalents, e.g. compare javascript HTML editors with desktop ones. A browser-based, zero-footprint image editor would be great for editing website images, and yet web designers are using desktop tools.

The great thing is this is Open Source, so anyone can create and contribute web-based tools to the project. ;-)

James