dotnet windows forms: Adobe Flex vs. .NET WinForms -- dotnet windows forms

Adobe Flex vs. .NET WinForms

Jules Winfield
6/12/2007 3:48:12 PM

dotnet windows forms:

Guys,

I've been designing applications for the financial services industry using
MSFT technologies for many years (Win32 API, MFC, and now .NET WinForms).
All applications are Internet-based, with a "thick client" which makes calls
to my grid of servers via a socket or remoting connection.

Customers are pleased with my work but it seems that over the past twelve
months or so, those same customers have expressed a strong demand to access
my application via a browser. They don't like having to install the .NET
runtime and they don't like having to install my MSI file. Banks and large
brokerage firms in particular are wary about installing MSI files [for
obvious and legitimate reasons]. They want browser-based access. I can rely
upon Windows as the customers' OS, but not necessarily an Internet Explorer
browser. Firefox use is common.

I've never been a huge fan a developing browser-based applications,
primarily due to my hatred of JScript. I don't mind using JScript in small
doses to connect major elements on a web page but the idea of using it as my
main client-side programming language is not appealing at all.
Unfortunately, given that AJAX seems to be at the forefront of web
development technology these days, and given that the 'J' in 'AJAX' stands
for JScript, I feel as though I'm running out of options.

....but after doing some research, I ran across a technology by Adobe called
Flex. I ran some of the demo apps and was completely blown away! They have a
very modern look and they are as responsive as desktop apps. Have any of you
made the transition from WinForms to Flex? What are the pros and cons? I get
the impression that the Flex user interfaces are created using a language
called ActionScript. What are your thoughts on this language?

Recall that all of my server side logic is C# (.NET) based and can be
accessed via HTTP remoting, sockets, etc. What mechanism does a Flex
application use to retrieve information from the server?

In the C#/WinForms world, I can purchase components like grids, charts, and
fancy navigational tools from third party component vendors. Is the same
thing true in the Flex world?

Any information is appreciated.

Thanks,

Jules Winfield

Re: Adobe Flex vs. .NET WinForms

Robbe Morris - MVP C#
6/12/2007 9:16:01 PM

I'd look at WPF in the browser in next generation .NET
in 3.0 before making a huge leap.

If I'm not mistaken, doesn't Flex require the Flash plugin
to run ActionScript? So, you are running ActiveX
or Java in the browser anyway.

There is nothing you can't "really" do with AJAX that
you could do with Flex. Running a windows app is
great for when you need to run disconnected
"at some time" or when you need access to the file
system. Do they need to work offline say on
an airplane or some place where network
activity is unavailable or prohibited.

It won't be long and MS will be mandating upgrades
to include the .NET Framework as part of windows
updates. Vista has .net 2.0 shipped with it I believe.

So, your users could typically just download a zipped
up file and run the exe.

--
Robbe Morris
EggHeadCafe.com
http://www.eggheadcafe.com/articles/adonet_source_code_generator.asp

[quoted text, click to view]

Re: Adobe Flex vs. .NET WinForms

Anish
6/13/2007 12:00:00 AM

I am not much aware of .netWinForms but I feel developing a web based
application using Flex is one of the best options available now. Flex
has its own pro's n cons. let me put my thoughts below your
comments.....Flex is based on a xml type language called MXML and it
also uses ActionScript as and when re

[quoted text, click to view]

Flex can communicate with remote servers using HTTPService and its
pretty easy to do that.

[quoted text, click to view]

Flex applicatiosn need Flash Player 9 and above to be installed on the
client machines for it to run. If Flash Player 9 is installed, it can
seemlessly run in any browsers on any OS that supports Flash Player
9 .Commonly supported OS and browsers are:- Windows, Mac OS X, Linux.
Then IE, Firefox, Opera, Safari etc...

[quoted text, click to view]

You may not encounter JScirpt but you will have to use MXML and
ActionScript to get most of your job done. You can also use CSS to
glorify your app. MXML is kind of XML based language.

[quoted text, click to view]

Viewing Flex demo can make any one go crazy about Flex. I recommend
you to go thru some of cool n awesome demo of flex at
http://www.quietlyscheming.com/blog/

[quoted text, click to view]

You can retain your server-side logic. You can request an HTTPService
to access your server-side logics. no worries here.
[quoted text, click to view]

Things that you may need to purchase for flex development is
1. Adobe Flex Builder - the default IDE used to develop flex
applications.
2. Flex Charting SDK - An SDK package that will make creating fancy n
interesting charts quite easier. (check charting demos at
http://www.quietlyscheming.com/blog/)
3. Lots of custom components are available for free as well as for
some money. Most of the commonly used components comes free with Flex
SDK.

If you are an expert coder, you can skip Flex Builder IDE and code
even in your notepad and compile it using the freely available Flex
SDK.

One of the advantages of Flex is you can convert your Flex web based
applications to Apollo (now Adobe AIR) desktop based application with
minimal changes. ( Oh yeah you need Adobe Apollo runtime to be
installed on the client machine for this.)

And Finally WELCOME TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF FLEX.

regards,
-Anish

[quoted text, click to view]

Got something to say? Click here to post a reply to this thread.

Don't see what you're looking for? Try a search.

View other messages in the dotnet windows forms group.