Smart Client vs. asp.net

[Tina]

I have been developing ASP.Net apps for over three years now. I've only
done a couple of forms apps in .Net back when I was first learning .Net.
(I've done lots of forms apps in Delphi before .Net) I recall reading at
that time that a major feature of .Net was that we would be able to write
"Smart Client" applications that would be Forms apps that would be small and
xcopy down to the client machine and execute while communicating to the
database back on the server. They would not be security threats because
they would operate within various defined permission levels. This would be
the best of both worlds.

Did that come true? I'm guessing that if it did, nobody would be writing
ASP apps anymore, but I'm posting this message to try to get a high level
read on how that technology is working out.

Can someone help me out?

Regards,
T

 

[Lebesgue]

Yes, you're right. Clickonce that came with .NET 2.0 works exactly as you
described - xcopy no touch deployment, defined permission levels, plus
optional automatic updates, all with the comfort of a winform application.
Read http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/04/05/ClickOnce/ or google for
clickonce, you will find a lot of useful information.

 

[Tina]

Lebesgue,
Thanks. That is exactly what I was looking for. It doesn't sound like it
would be vialble for external web sites until Microsoft packages the .Net
framework into windows. Maybe it will be in Vista?

Anyway, I'm going through the docs. Hope there are no big catches in the
technology.
T

 

[Lebesgue]

..NET framework can be deployed with the ClickOnce application and installed
automatically when not present at the target machine. This applies for both
web installation, when it's downloaded automatically and installlation from
a CD-ROM, when you burn and redistribute the framework with the application.