RIA and Online Retail (1)
RIA is one of the buzzwords driving the Web 2.0 phenomenon. Rich user interfaces, along with the advanced functionality found in web applications, have blurred the line between what were considered desktop applications and the Web. The success of Gmail, Google Docs, Zoho and numerous other fledgling web applications prove that the Rich Internet Application as a computing paradigm is here to stay.
With regard to the enterprise, the rapid implementation of SOA at the back end should have been a strong driver for the adoption of RIAs since technologies such as Ajax and Flex are natural complements for services. But this has not been the case. Enterprise uptake of rich interfaces has not been as quick as evident on the consumer web.
