This document discusses Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) and Web Site's expertise in developing them. It notes that RIAs enable seamless, personalized experiences for complex work. Web Site has adopted RIA technologies since their emergence and has expertise integrating them into enterprise-level software architectures. Examples of potential RIA applications discussed include web applications, desktop/mobile apps, data visualization, dashboards, and collaboration tools.

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Rich Internet Applications
State-of-the-art and role of

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RIAs Bring People-Centered
Design To Information
Workplaces
―Rich Internet applications (RIAs) are emerging as vehicles to
enable the next generation of Information Workplaces that are
best suited for decision-makers and task-oriented workers who
engage in complex, multistep processes — people who need
seamless, individualized, and highly visual user experiences.‖
Erica Driver and Ron Rogowski, Forrester Research, November
26, 2007

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RIA’s state-of-the-art
The RIAs advantages are well known: interactivity and agility
typical of desktop applications, without sacrificing portability and
ease of management of web-based applications.
This is a winning formula, as demonstrated by the energies that
major computer software companies (Microsoft, Adobe,
Oracle/Sun) are investing to position themselves in this market
with their technologies.
Platforms available to developers have reached the maturity and
the strength necessary to extend RIAs benefits to enterprises.

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RIA’s state-of-the-art
By contrast, the implementation of an enterprise RIA requires a
considerable set of skills: expertise on the User Interface
development, along with knowledge of the back-end
technologies.
We must also consider that the potential of RIA tools, to be fully
realized, requires much greater analysis of the UI (user
experience design).

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Web Site’s commitment
Web Site has adopted RIA technology from the first
moments of this evolution, gaining a strategic advantage
in terms of expertise and experience.
The direction taken led to the successful integration of
the RIA component in the development model put up in
its laboratories. The result achieved is the absolute
excellence in the software architecture and in
development methodology.

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RIA and software architectures of
enterprise level
RIA technology is the most powerful tool to develop the
front-end of a software system, however, to be
successfully implemented in an enterprise scenario, it
must integrate seamlessly into a complex stack of
technologies and frameworks.
Web Site has successfully combined Adobe's RIA
platform with its software architecture and its
development methodology based on the best available
technologies:
• Java / JEE
• Hibernate
• Spring
• Services Oriented Architecture
• Web Services
• Model driven development

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The technological choice
Web Site identified Adobe RIA technologies as the
most powerful and most mature in the market, and
has built on them its front-end strategy:
 Adobe Flash is the runtime through which the
RIA content is provided
 Adobe Flex (now Apache Flex) is a high-level
development framework for creating
applications based on Flash
 Adobe AIR is a runtime system for
development of desktop and mobile
applications using Flash technology or normal
HTML / CSS / JavaScript, thanks to the
integrated WebKit browser engine.

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Examples
The following are some of the possible fields of
application of the RIA.
Some of the presented examples are part of
deployed systems heavily accessed by a
considerable number of users, demonstrating the
robustness of the designed architecture.

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Enterprise web-based applications
The classic web-based application is
enriched by RIA technology:
 Navigation between functions is
fluid and fast eliminating server-side
UI refresh
 Screen space is maximized, thanks
to the precise control provided by
Flash and to the correct use of
transitions
 Compatibility with different browsers
and operating systems is improved
through the support of Flash Player

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Desktop and mobile applications
With Adobe AIR you can create desktop
and mobile applications with the potential of
RIA and with many additional benefits:
 A unique development
environment, and a set of components
common to major operating systems and
platforms, allows developers to focus their
efforts on specific platforms and various
device’s form factors
(PC, tablets, smartphones)
 The possibility to use the application even
without connection to the server (offline)

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Visualization and data
manipulation
 The potential of the engine that drives
the Flash RIA becomes evident in
applications that manage information
in a visual way
 Charts and graphs become, in many
cases, the ideal tool to interact with
data.
 RIA development offers all the tools to
design innovative user interface, that
improves significantly the efficiency
and speed of the front-end

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Dashboards for data analysis
The richness of expression typical of RIA
allows you to create interactive
dashboards for fast and exciting data
analysis:
 Only raw numerical data are
exchanged between client and
server, improving the speed of
response to user actions (drill
down).
 The charts are updated, click after
click, through animations and
smooth transitions – the user will
not "lose the thread‖ and also
receives a visual feedback for
comparison.

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Personal dashboards
 The same graphics capabilities
and interactive features make it
possible to create user
customizable
dashboards, effective and
interactive
 Back-end integration tools
transparently support push data
updates from server to the
connected clients

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DeskEngine
 DeskEngine is the laboratory
project used by Web Site to
experiment unexplored
paradigms of user interface and
real-time collaboration
 The result is a framework which
serves as the basis for the
creation of applications with a
truly innovative user
experience.

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Recognitions
Web Site is an Adobe solution partner, and has received
prestigious international awards as evidence of success
in the field of Rich Internet Applications.
 ADOBE EMEA - SOLUTION PARTNER RECOGNITION AWARD Q2
2008
Winner
 ADOBE EMEA - SOLUTIONS EXCELLENCE CONTEST 2008
Best Manufacturing Solution
 ADOBE EMEA - SOLUTION PARTNER RECOGNITION AWARD Q2
2009
Winner
 ADOBE LIVECYCLE PARTNER SOLUTION SHOWCASE – NEW YORK
2010
Finalist
 IT EUROPA - EUROPEAN IT EXCELLENCE AWARD 2010
Finalist
 ADOBE ITALIA – SOLUTION PARTNER AWARD 2011
Solution Innovation - Winner

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For a full presentation of products and services offered:
Renzo Santarelli
general manager
renzo.santarelli at websiteitalia.com
335 6069308
www.websiteitalia.com
Web Site srl
Via Cavour, 20
00041 Albano Laziale (RM) - Italy
+39 06 9320235
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