Smart clients - Part 3/3
About: This is the third and last in a series of three posts about smart clients. The series provides an overview of the smart client technology; compares it with thick and thin clients, explains the various manifestations of smart clients and describes a roadmap and series of steps that an organization can undertake to implement smart client solutions.
Part 1: http://blogs.msdn.com/mohammadakif/archive/2006/04/01/566581.aspx
Part 2: http://blogs.msdn.com/mohammadakif/archive/2006/04/21/580741.aspx
Hello,
In part 1 and 2 of this series I provided an introduction to the concept of smart clients, compared them with other models and discussed the ClickOnce, Smart tags and Smart document technologies. In the current post, I will provide links to resources and discuss when and how to implement smart client solutions.
When should I use smart client, doesn’t Ajax/Atlas solve all my UI issues?
There are some key differences between the applications based on smart client and Ajax technologies, typically (which means some exceptions are possible), smart client applications are rich clients with an automatic and streamlined distribution and maintenance model, smart clients can allow you to utilize the local resources of the desktop and can work in offline mode. Ajax/Atlas based solutions allow you to build relatively rich Web applications (compared to the traditional web apps), however, they do require the client computer to be always connected. Both smart clients and Ajax/Atlas based solution are viable models targeted at resolving different types of business problems.
What is the roadmap for implementing a smart client solution?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to smart clients, in my experience the most successful companies go through the online web casts and training available on the internet, look at the example code and execute a proof-of-concept that allow them to measure the results and effectiveness of the solution and learn the intricacies of the technologies in a hands-on manner. Microsoft has considerable example code and frameworks based on smart clients technologies that can be accessed through the links below, these links can give you a head start and can help you in avoiding common mistakes
Where can I find more information about smart clients?
You can find more information about smart clients from the following links
1. Web Cast: Smart Client Architecture
http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032244110&Culture=en-US
2. Smart client architecture and design guide
http://msdn.microsoft.com/smartclient/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dnpag/html/scag.asp
3. Web Cast: Smart Client Applications and ClickOnce
http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?EventID=1032286031&EventCategory=5&culture=en-us&CountryCode=US
4. Web site: Understanding Smart Client
http://msdn.microsoft.com/smartclient/understanding/default.aspx
5. Web Site: Smart client development Center
http://msdn.microsoft.com/smartclient/
6. Web Site: Infopath Smart documents, articles and resources
http://msdn.microsoft.com/office/understanding/smarttags/default.aspx
7. ClickOnce technology
http://www.windowsforms.net/FAQs/default.aspx?PageID=1&CategoryID=24&tabindex=2
http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/04/05/clickonce/default.aspx
Conclusion
Smart clients can help you deliver business solutions that provide rich interface and functionality to the users, are capable of working in offline mode and can get updated and maintained with relative ease. Smart tags and smart documents, a different manifestation of smart clients, can greatly enhance the productivity of business users, facilitate the sharing of information and improve collaboration.
Best regards,
Mohammad
Part 1: http://blogs.msdn.com/mohammadakif/archive/2006/04/01/566581.aspx
Part 2: http://blogs.msdn.com/mohammadakif/archive/2006/04/21/580741.aspx
