Internet, RIA and REA

The web application concepts have been developed continuously from X-Internet to RIA (Rich Internet Application) and REA (Rich Enterprise Application) for implementation of the rich user experience for enterprise and individual.

RIA has been introduced widely with the terms of X-Internet into our local development environment market and positioned as a solution which provides the user interface for their business of critical mission with the interface to the desktop level. Overseas, the term of RIA used in Macromedia who were merged with Adobe in 2002 has been a new trend and their market has been expanded based on the Flash and AJAX technology. Two terms have been coexisted with each other. X-Internet has been developed focused on their performance and functionality for the enterprise user while RIA has been focused on their design for the individual user. Then, the term of UX (User Experience)’has been on the rise and their multi-media elements and design aspects has been emphasized. With this trend, RIA has absorbed X-Internet naturally and these two terms have been merged. And now, the meaning of RIA is used more widely than before. Also, RIA is used widely as the term to indicate the web application which provides the user interface with more richness and improvement than the existing application.

By the RIA and X-Internet merge, the wider RIA has been created and its status in the market has risen more and more. Based on this, the RIArange is divided and especially, REA (Rich Enterprise Application) which has the meaning of ‘for enterprise’ has begun to be spotlighted at the enterprise market.

REA or RIA for enterprise

REA, a kind of the enterprise version of RIA, can be understood as Rich Enterprise Application or RIA for Enterprise Application. REA can be explained as the concept to solve the hope of the enterprise in the most effective way, or the Enterprise Application which makes the rich user experience possible. But it is not simply formulated that RIA combined to the enterprise environment is REA. REA is the totally independent area which has the different basic approach from RIA which is just for the individual user because REA can be implemented when there is concentration of thorough analysis about the enterprise environment, understanding of the complicated development needs, the high understanding about enterprise, and the enormous experience buildup.

The ultimate advantage for the enterprise by the REA introduction is different from that of the individual. REA should have their virtues; the development productivity, which is very important for the IT developer or planner of the enterprise including the most critical factors like ‘cost’ and ‘productivity’, and the integral availability with the existing legacy system. Therefore, their area classification and retention of expertise become more important.

Value Obtaining by REA Introduction

• Cost Reduction at IT infrastructure

  The re-use of the existing Infra is a very important criteria to the administrator who considers introducing a new system because the use of network bandwidth doesn’t increase proportionally with the user increase. The REA introduction doesn’t require purchasing an additional hardware or server.

• RTE (Real Time Enterprise) Execution

  Nowadays, in order to satisfy various customers’ needs or wants as quickly as possible, meeting additional 80 % of the sales and profits are required. Therefore, the procedure and decision making should be faster and faster for the enterprise to meet the customer satisfaction. To this end, through SOA (Service Oriented Architecture), Web service or easy linkage with the traditional Framework, the service to respond immediately to the various tastes and the ever-changing needs of employees can be provided.

• Improvement of the Enterprise Information Value

  By providing the visual or interactivity which was possible only at the desktop environment, Look & Feel is possible and provides a chance to find out the value of the hidden information.

• TCO(Total Cost of Ownership) Reduction

  By providing similar functionality to the desk top and interface, the deployment, installation and support costs can be reduced with the comparison to the desktop environment.

• Improvement of Employee Productivity and Accuracy

  The user interface which is functional and intuitive can reduce error occurred by the manual operation and the various working time of each task for the individual. When it comes only one person may feel the effect is less, but it is never the less time when it comes to look over the entire staff.

• Sales Increase

  UI which is easier and faster for purchase and order than those in B2B environment is more friendly and convenient for the user and provides more time to explore web pages. It is so easy to search conditions without reloading the screen or to sort the screen that the access to the wanted products is improved. This is associated with the increase in sales and the improved customer satisfaction and loyalty

What is XPLATFORM?

Definition of XPLATFORM

XPLATFORM which is developed by TOBESOFT, the top enterprise in X-Internet and RIA business area, is a RIA for the use of enterprise or a REA development platform, which supports all the three of Runtime Version, HTML5 Version and Hybrid Version (V9.2 added) in order to accept the various development needs by enterprise.

UX-Studio which is a RAD development tool based on WYSIWYG provided by the XPLATFORM is possible to develop all of Runtime, HTML5, Hybrid Version in order to execute RTE (Real Time Enterprise). Therefore, it can maximize the developer’s convenience and, at the same time, it supports to affect the easy and various design and multimedia.

The provision of various functions considered the developer’s convenience and effectiveness is the primary driving force to enable to reach fast the enterprise value which is the ultimate goal of REA implementation.

XPLATFORM supports perfectly not only the business logic like the web service, the service recombination, re-use but also the techniques of the object-oriented language like ‘Inheritance’ which can be re-used at the UI development environment side. Especially it guarantees the cost reduction, handy productivity and maintenance by providing the various components for the enterprise use which doesn’t need the additional development, criteria observation, and the function of Visual Effect which allows implementation of the design element without the designer’s support.

Characteristics of XPLATFORM

• Powerful Development Tool

  It provides UX-Studio with the various and convenient functions required for development like the exiting 4GL tool. It also provides the developers with the intelligent editors with the screen development with WISWIG method, line-debugging, the advanced-debugging like Variable, Watch Expression, Call Stack Trace, etc.

• Multi Platform, Device/ Cross Browser

  As the environment where the user can access the application becomes various, the user wants to access through various OS (Multi Platform) like Windows, Mac, Linux, etc. and the various devices like Set-top Box, PDA, Smart Phone, etc. In this context, it allows the user who is not dependent to the specific web browsers to access by supporting the various web browsers like MS IE, Firefox, opera, safari, chrome, etc.

• Runtime-HTML5-Hybrid Version

  The application based on Runtime, a type of Smart client and the application based on HTML5 can be developed and operated at the same time. The application based on Hybrid can be easily developed and operated by using a tool because it is based on HTML5.

  The application based on Runtime compromises vulnerability on function and performance which are the limits of the web with the provisions of the various and powerful function and performance required for the enterprise application.

  The application based on HTML5 supports the various user accesses by supporting the web browsers together with the advantage of No Download.

  Also, Widget, the small application, is the next generation’s enterprise portal application, which allows the visualization of the real time data and can be used with the connection with Push (Publish) server.

• Running out of Web Browser

  The function and performance are the important elements for the enterprise application to execute Real Time Enterprise (RTE). The applications which use the exiting web browsers have the limit which couldn’t meet these expectations. In order to be escaped from this limit, the enterprise-only browser is essential.

• Criteria Observation

  JavaScript is accepted for the smooth interface with the other systems or solutions by observing the several criteria like ECMA, CSS, XML, DOM. It can also reduce the burden of having to learn a new language and sustain language development expertise, which will also help with personal history.

• OOP (Object Oriented Programming) & Heritage

  By providing the various heritage functions, it supports easily to execute the application and at the same time, it can improve the development productivity by the developer’s skill based on their activities. The followings are provided: Form Inheritance, the heritage function for the full screen, User Component which allows to expand the component function, to manufacture additionally and to distribute, and Composite Component which allows the component with new concept by binding the single component. Also, for the developer’s copyright, the source permission and source lock policies are provided.

• Around 50 Enterprise Components & Objects

  By providing the various enterprise components which can be used just at the application, it reduces the development period by minimizing the component development period required for the application and responds quickly to the changing business environment.

  Especially, Grid (Tree view, PivotGrid, TreeGrid) which is used the most in the enterprise application is provided itself.

• Maximum Performance

  In order to guarantee the maximum performance of XPLATFORM, the several important latest technologies for the enterprise application has been developed and applied. In recognition of innovation in these new technology, the 3 patents completed enrollment (June 2009)

• Visual Effect

  The design area is not just the area for designers. Developers with just a simple operation such as power point can apply the design element to the business applications. In other words, by the development tool which has the design element, developer and designer can collaborate and at the same time develop to cover the other’s area each other.

  UX-Studio also supports to implement the design effect by the simple indication for decoration function (Alpha Blending, Gradation/ Shadow/ Glow, Advanced, Various Image Format Support, Advanced Vector Drawing) and various Animation function (Transition/Property/Interpolation function) through editor and intuitive drawing function.

• Theme Design Application

  • Tool Theme

    By changing the tool theme, it provides more familiar or personalized custom made environment by giving the emotional motivation to the developer’s development environment.

  • User Theme

    It supports the handy development of the application which is excellent in design by the various visual effects and at the same time, it provides the user theme for the handy and simple design application. By applying the user theme, for the application development, the favorite user theme can be selected and simply put the design on the application.

Target Application for XPLATFORM

• It is a type of the application which should provide features or functions which are difficult or impossible to be developed by using the typical web technology.

• It is the application that is used to induce and guide customer to the on-line with similarity how to interact with the customer on the off-line. Also it is the application which requires to re-consider customer royalty, to improve service, to intensify the customer relationship, to differentiate enterprise, to guide product development by listening to customer opinion.

• It is the application to increase lead, purchase, reservation, site hours, re-visit frequency by simplifying the complicate process like registration, composition or purchase.

• It is the application to strengthen productivity, information sharing, decision making and the competitive advantage by providing employee, directorate or partner with information with the more clear, innovative, intuitive and effective way.

• It is the application to enhance the existing web service by using Presentation Layer inducing the advanced interactive participation.

• The advancement of SAP Application UI and utilization to SOA

• The enterprise widget, simple BI Monitoring and Dashboard Application

• The application required to reduce the bandwidth cost caused by the frequent correcting operation for the page at the busy traffic site.

• The application or website which induces the advanced interactive participation with much cheaper cost comparing with the other web technology.

• The application which requires the replacement caused by the severe problem of the existing ActiveX installation (only for HTML5 Version)

• The enterprise widget application required for real-time status check and monitoring