VirsoNet Team News Blog

In a surprising move this past month, Microsoft has finalized plans to release the source code for the popular .NET 3.5 framework. Apart from providing better debugging for Visual Studio users, does this move signify that Microsoft is adapting to the open source community? The source code will be released under Microsoft’s own ISO-approved license, called the Microsoft Reference License. While the license does not provide end-users with terms nearly as liberal as that of the zlib or bsd license(s), it does allow for unlimited access to the source code.

I raise the question to how this release will effect other .NET projects, such as the cross-platform Mono framework. Will the release of the “official” code aid Mono developers in their development? Better yet, will Microsoft be finally willing to collaborate with Novell and other companies supporting the Mono project? I seriously hope that this in store for the future. A C++ advocate myself, I find that the C# language offers nice similarities with the addition of powerful libraries on the front-end. On the other hand, I currently find the .NET platform fairly limiting due to its “Windows-only” nature. Maybe this will change in the future, but until then .NET will continue to suffer from professional developer support. Having said that, IMO, Microsoft has gone one more step in the right direction with the release of the source code. I just can’t wait to get my hands on it, when it does become available.

I invite you to check out the new installation of phpBB3 on the VirsoNet Website! Originally, I installed phpBB2, but with the new RC5 recently launched, I just couldn’t resist to make the change. So what’s the big deal with phpBB3? The single biggest feature is the nice modern interface. PhpBB2 I found was very modular and squarish, while phpBB3 features nifty smooth corners, blended colors and overall a nice look and feel. The administration panel is also very impressive, and has about 5 times as many categories as the previous version. I also noticed a sizable speed increase on the new version of the forums, which is extremely helpful considering the slow server speeds.

In short, phpBB3 is a dream compared to phpBB2. There are some downsides, however. For example, there is still no Rich Text Editor for submitting posts/threads and sending PMs. In comparison, all other major forums such as Simple Machines and VBulletin include this. PhpBB3 also breaks all themes available for phpBB2, as well as all addons and fixes. There are currently very few addons extensions available for the RCs, while no extra styles even exist. This leaves me slightly disappointed, and I hope that this will change over the next year. Otherwise, I am greatly impressed with phpBB3, and look forward to the Final Release!

You may have noticed the nifty affects which are added to the website, such as the tabs and cool looking buttons! To see what I mean, visit the home page. And Dojo offers a lot more than just little nifty buttons and tabs. Among Dojo’s controls, there is a currency textbox, calendar, rich text editor and even Graphing Library!

So what is a Javascript library? A Javascript Library usually provides Javascript controls, and a custom DOM layer which offers event handlers etc. Javascript libraries are usually browser-independent, and cover up specific browser quirks by work-arounds. While the api provided by the library is written Javascript, the library extends the language with many additional features.(Such as event handlers) In short, Javascript libraries are meant to make the web developer’s life easier, while also providing a unified look and feel.

Dojo is definitely NOT the only Javascript library out there. The biggest competition appears to be YUI(Yahoo User Inteface) . However, I prefer the Dojo community over a commercially backed project. Anyway, I definitely recommend that web developers check the Dojo site out http://www.dojotoolkit.org/!

Today I discovered AjaxWindows on the web. I must say, from the designer point of view, this site is quite impressive. This is another great example at how powerful Ajax actually is. I did miss some “extras” though; right clicks didn’t always bring up menus, while the toolbars and menu bars lack customization. Also, the site relies on Java applets, which are a bit slow at initialising. Having said that, they do provide a nice overall look and feel.

So what is AjaxWindows? It is a Web Desktop, or just a WebTop for short. This idea is not original, as other WebTops already exist, including the popular Goowy. A WebTop provides a online operating system, which includes online applications or widgets, file storage, and personal user settings. In AjaxWindows, your “Desktop” includes icons with links to Google Docs, Zoho Writer, Google Maps and other popular internet locations. There is also a “Start Menu” similar to Windows, containing a list of your widgets and applications.

What is AjaxWindows’ purpose? I have to really doubt that AjaxWindows improves a user’s productivity. The online links to Google Apps and other applications simply open the url in a new browser window. It would be simpler to navigate to the url directly in my opinion. Also, I find that the combined JavaScript/Java effects are extremely hard on the CPU, and slow down my computer considerably. And finally, I don’t see the use of uploading files to AjaxWindows when many other websites offer the same feature with better integration and speed.

In Short, I think AjaxWindows, while interesting, is far from being useful. No user really needs an WebTop when sites like Google and Yahoo already integrate their online apps seamlessly together. This idea is simply surpassed by the advent of online office suites. Also, the popularity of laptops makes it unlikely that users will use many different computers, even when traveling. AjaxWindows simply offers too much with so little to make the experience worth the time or even effort to sign up. A reviewer who concurs with me can be found here.

Of course, I recommend that you form your own opinions on AjaxWindows. The site url is http://www.ajaxwindows.com/

Happy WebTopping!