XWT: The Universal Client

adam_megacz writes "XWT is a GPLed 'universal client' -- an end run around the current state of client side OS lock-in. It lets you write applications that run on a server yet display their user interface on any client machine. Unlike VNC and X11, all UI operations are performed on the client, so it doesn't suffer from lag or freeze-ups when you lose your network connection. It also doesn't require a you to download/install/configure anything since the client is delivered as a Java Applet or ActiveX control (Linux native client also available). There are some cool demos on the site, including an email client and a widget sampler."

Comments

Re:Interesting

[baka_boy]

It *is* effectively just a "very light java applet...that just makes all calls across xmlrpc". However, the UI itself is built from JavaScript, a custom XML format, and PNG graphics, rather than Java code.

That's both a good and bad thing; it's good it you write your interfaces by hand, or want to generate them on the fly from some external data source, but it's bad if you like to use a RAD tool to prototype your UI by dragging and moving UI elements on the screen graphically.

Re:Universal *GUI* Browser

[Tablizer]

(* How about a universal web browser? *)

Not web, but *GUI*. Web browsers and HTML + DOM + JS are optimized for e-brochures (presentation), and not business forms. Intranets and B-to-B keep trying to make web browsers act like VB/Delphi/PB GUIs, and it is a royal pain in the ess.

BTW, I propose a competitor to XWT, called SCGUI (Server-Controlled GUI) at:

http://geocities.com/tablizer/scgui.htm

The demo is admittedly far less mature than XWT, but it is the concept which counts. It has a thinner-client philosophy than XWT. Downloading Turing-complete scripts and applets is too big of a security risk and increases versioning headaches IMO. Thus, no Turing is where it is at.