Margaret Rasor — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 19:06:41 GMT

I agree that there should be one way to access all types of data, and also that it should not just be about the platform but can work across various platforms. Someone else mentions the Raskin work, it’s definitely worth looking at – sounds like people are doing what should be done – responding to the need by pushing through the current limitations and barriers and taking it to the next level. Very interesting, and long overdue concepts!

Margaret Rasor — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 19:41:25 GMT

Well, when I first saw this article, being somewhat disappointed at the lack of literature on RIA business applications, I was hopeful and my kudos to the author. This article is now over 3 years old! However, dear fellow readers, it seems that the discussion degenerated into an argument about the pros-cons of animation technologies and Nielsen’s heuristics. I think the point was well made in the article that a) a deep understanding of users is required to build them an RIA that is going to be used to get a job done and b) the user is already engaged in accomplishing a specific goal (or goals) when they come to the application in order to get that job done. I was under the assumption the author was talking about work here, not play or looking up things on the ‘net on advertising sites. So what if the technology team has to use Flash as a means to an end to provide the users with an efficient way to accomplish their work goals? As if HTML or DHHTML or AJAX or whatever is any better. The browser has some serious limitations. As long as the user is engaged, and gets from point A to point Z quickly, easily, and efficiently, what is all the fuss about?

As for Nielsen, we have to keep in mind that he is being paid by people who hire him to help build websites that sell things, not by businesses or government agencies who are creating web-based applications to be used as tools to get things done, often in mission critical environments. He is STILL, three years later, stuck in that same mindset. I don’t bother to look at his website anymore because all he has in there are more articles about web sites, web portals, home pages, etc.

Since I’m now in 2007, RIAs are more the norm than not, and Flash is no big deal. Maybe the author could grace our eyes with a follow up article to see how far we’ve come in the meantime? It’s a very interesting and relevant topic – thanks for writing about it!

Boxes and Arrows: Comments by Margaret Rasor