RIA Platform
Comparison
Oliver Steele
April 6, 2007

Client Platforms
HTML Flash 8 Flash 9 WPF/E

Client Platform Libraries
Rico, Mochi, Dojo,
Backbase,
etc.
JQuery
Plugins
Widget & Effect
Script- Inter-
Libraries Ext
aculous face Open-
Flex WPF
Laszlo
DOM Prototype YUI JQuery
Libraries
WPF/
DHTML Flash
VM E

Under Consideration
JQuery Laszlo Laszlo Flex WPF
HTML Flash 8 Flash 9 WPF/E

HTML vs. Flash
HTML Flash (Flex and Laszlo)
• Quick startup • Vector graphics
• Easy to debug • Smoother animation
• Easy to integrate
• High-quality text
Flash (non-Laszlo)
• Market acceptance
• Image effects
• Code libraries
• Code libraries

Assumptions
• Consumer-facing website
• Goal is to get first version up quickly
• We can switch technologies later
• Small team

Client Platform Features
Development Deployment Experience
• Development tools • Market acceptance • Startup time
• Community resources • Page size • Interaction speed
• Platform momentum • Page integration • Graphic effects
• Text quality

Development Features
Tools Resources Momentum
• Compiler • Libraries • Maturity
• Debugger • Forums • Staffing
• Server integration • Source • Community

Development Tools
JQuery Laszlo Flex
Compiler Debugger Server Integration

Development Resources
JQuery Laszlo Flex
Libraries Forums Source

Platform Momentum
JQuery Laszlo Flex
Maturity Staffing Community

Platform Features
JQuery Laszlo Flex
Tools Resources Momentum

Platform Features
Tools Resources Momentum

Deployment Features
• Market Acceptance
• Page Size
• Page Integration

Deployment Features
HTML Flash 7 Flash 8
Market Acceptance Page Size Page Integration

Deployment Features
Market Acceptance Page Size Page Integration

Experience
• Startup time
• Interaction speed
• Graphic effects
• Text quality

Graphic Effects
HTML Flash 8 Flash 9
Animation ✔ ✔ ✔
Opacity ✔ ✔ ✔
Scaling ✔ ✔ ✔
Vector Graphics ✘ ✔ ✔
Rotation ✘ ✔ ✔
Shadow ✘ ✘ ✔
Emboss ✘ ✘ ✔
Perspective ✘ ✘ ✘

Experience Features
HTML Flash 8 Flash 9
Startup time Animation Speed Text Quality Graphic Effects

Experience Features
Startup time Animation Speed Text Quality
Graphic Effects

Platform Benefits
HTML Laszlo/Flash 8 Flex/Flash 9
Development Deployment Experience

Platform Benefits
Development Deployment Experience

Some Tradeoffs
• Graphics (Flash) vs. Text (HTML)
• Startup time (HTML) vs. post-startup
experience (Flash)
• Development speed (HTML) vs. post-startup
experience (Flash)