Option 2 - Cross-Platform/Cross-Browser Web Application:
The second option is to build the web-based tool on top of the existing distribution of 4.x browsers. This current browser set includes: Netscape 4.x for Windows 95/98/2000, Linux, and MacOS; Internet Explorer 4.x for Windows 95/98/2000; Internet Explorer 5.x for Windows 98/2000; and Internet Explorer 5.0 for MacOS. This browser set does not include Internet Explorer 4.x for the MacOS. Nor does it include Opera, iCab, or some versions of the new Mozilla browser from Netscape. If this option is chosen preliminary testing can be done to see if the technologies we use are supported (even partially) in these non-standard browsers. This particular option relies on the JavaScript that is built into the 4.x browsers. The interaction between the tool and the end user is built and rendered using the DOM (Document Object Model) of the browser. The advantages of this option are that you reach the largest audience possible and you also don't have any complex installation process, as the technologies it uses are shipped with every browser. Using this option, the end user will need to grant some minor security priveleges to the browser, which will allow JavaScript to read/write specific datafiles (bookmarks file, brower location field, etc.) on the user's computer.

Implementation: The client-side portion would be built entirely in JavaScript and HTML. The server-side portion would be built in PHP, JSP, Perl, and/or XML. The deployment will be through a draggable link in an email or a web site.

Advantages: Works across all browser and platforms. It's HTML and JavaScript-based, so is easily expandable. Uses open standards and non-proprietary technologies. A server-side solution.
Disadvantages: Some functionality (like tight OS integration) is limited.

Recommendation: Alphanumerica recommends that Mouseion develop their browser-based meta-info tool as a web application that uses existing technologies shipped with the 4.x browser set. This ensures for future compatibility in browsers released in 2000 and 2001, and still retain a backwards compatibility for legacy 4.x browsers that will remain in use for the next 2-3 years.

Future Outlook of Technology Platform: The 4.x browser set is still widely in use today and will remain in use for the next 2-3 years. The technologies used to build a web application are considered "standard" in the existing browser set and will remain standard in future browsers. These technologies (JavaScript, CSS, DHTML) are developed with backwards-compatibility in mind and newer versions will work well with code written using an older version. This is a very safe bet.

Previous Solution | Next Solution