Future of the NET (HTML --> Winform/XML) ?

[Amit Chandel]

Is it safe to say that winforms coupled with soap/xml will be the future
trend of the internet browsing experience down the line?

In essence, corp web sites shift from HTML based browsers --> Winform EXE
style browsing experience? If this is the case, how far down the line
could this become a reality? Will the .NET Framework ship with longhorn
(Future Ver. Windows) ?

Thanks,
Amit Chandel

 

[Pete]

Hi,

Is it safe to say that winforms coupled with soap/xml will be the
future trend of the internet browsing experience down the line?

This seems very unlikely. Why lose custom from those using non-windows
operating systems, or those that like their browsers (some people still use
text browsers)?

In essence, corp web sites shift from HTML based browsers --> Winform
EXE style browsing experience? If this is the case, how far down the
line could this become a reality? Will the .NET Framework ship with
longhorn (Future Ver. Windows) ?

It's highly unlikely.. and if it does happen I just won't be using those
companies web sites/programs/whatever.

-- Pete

 

[Amit Chandel]

Pete,

It could be cross platform, much like java apps are today. You simply
download the runtime. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that if we
had a KIOSK style EXE, it would be so much more powerful and faster than
todays internet. Assemblies would be downloaded to the client (Windows,
Linux, CellPhone, PocketPC, Car). Instead of having a GET POST HTTP, you
would have a direct connection to the central server. Most of the
processing and rendering could be distributed to the client.

You could harness in essence everything you would from distributing an EXE.
Code would be secure, data and content would also be secure. Layout, Table
Align would not be an issue. It is far less difficult to hack into an EXE,
than it is to simply jumble around with the query string.

Web sites wouldn't even have to graphical, or text based, they would become
services. Going to checkmycar.com from your car console would again
download assemblies, and run a diagnotic for a fee. I'm sure this is quite
far down the line, but it seems, having an EXE run on cross platform
devices would be the next logical step in harnessing the power of the net.

 

[Pete]

Hi,

It could be cross platform, much like java apps are today. You simply
download the runtime. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that
if we had a KIOSK style EXE, it would be so much more powerful and
faster than todays internet. Assemblies would be downloaded to the
client (Windows, Linux, CellPhone, PocketPC, Car). Instead of having
a GET POST HTTP, you would have a direct connection to the central
server. Most of the processing and rendering could be distributed to
the client.

Download the runtime? There is no supported runtime for other operating
systems -- only mono and whatever the other one is called. They don't
support winforms and never will completely (unless winforms is reorganised
so we don't need p/invoke quite so often).

Also.. you say it would be faster, but your original post implied we would
be downloading an app for each companies "website". This would take quite a
bit longer than just loading html text into a browser (not to mention the
time taken for a winforms app to start). Unless you meant downloading one
app for all companies.. in which case I fail to see the difference from a
browser.

Web sites wouldn't even have to graphical, or text based, they would
become services. Going to checkmycar.com from your car console would
again download assemblies, and run a diagnotic for a fee. I'm sure
this is quite far down the line, but it seems, having an EXE run on
cross platform devices would be the next logical step in harnessing
the power of the net.

Checkmycar sounds like something I'd rather own and be able to run whenever
I'd like.. i.e. a normal app. I see no need for this to be distributed over
the web. All you would be doing is increasing my costs by forcing me to pay
each time I need something (lets not give microsoft too many ideas, okay?).

-- Pete