RE: The ever encroaching blur between web apps and apps

[Saqib.N.Ali () seagate com]

> There is an important distinction that I think was missed even with the
> distinctions you made; applications are still host-based, client-server, 
or
> peer-to-peer.  Web applications and web based applications qualify as
> client-server applications (although it can be a client-server interface 
to
> a peer-to-peer network).  Within peer-to-peer and client-server 
applications
> you can have stateful and stateless communications.  I think that these 
are
> the most important distinctions when examining distributed applications.

no arguments here :) But this a very broad topic and can get very 
confusing. 
e.g. Client-side validation using JAvascript for an application that does 
everything else on the server. Can this be considered a server based app?


> I think that the distinction you make between an "Online" application 
and a
> "Web App" is not necessarily accurate.  A web browser is an extensible
> client which presents the interface to the HTTP server making all web
> applications a subclass of Online applications rather than a separate
> classification.

i agree that all web applications are a subset of "Online Applications". 
All I m saying that if a Online Application requires more than a web 
browser, it should not be called a "Web App"

> I would define a specific HTTP+HTML client server application, such as a 
web
> based mail client or online catalogue to function without plugins 
outside of
> content specific renderers (PNG/SVG renderers for outdated browsers, 
etc) is
> a web application. 
so hotmail and gmail are web apps. i agree.


> An application which provides an HTTP+HTML based interface to the
> application and runs embedded applets should be considered an entirely
> different animal.  These applications which provide functionality aside 
from
> a web browser through the use of embedded applications should be treated
> separately; wether these applets are written in languages such as the 
.NET
> family, Java, or using content authoring tools such as flash or 
director.  I
> would call these web-based applications.  It is also important to note 
that

this is where i disagree. An application that is merely launched by a web 
browser, but is completely independent in all other aspects (i.e. uses its 
own protocol, port, etc) can NOT be called a Web Based App. 


> from a security perspective the analysis of the web application 
component
> should be completely separate from the analysis of the applet or content
> rendered by an applet.
i agree

Thanks.
Saqib Ali
https://validate.sf.net   <<< Online DocBook XML  -> HTML/PDF convertor