[AccessD] Ramblings of a nutcase

Hi Charlotte:

Sorry but I think you misunderstood me. 

I was just suggesting that if someone does not like the UI of the current OS they are using, it is not Rocket-Science to just build your own browser FE. These browser page(s) can be made to look and act as functional and/or as pretty as you wish but the core applications can be installed within the OS or could be on any server, Cloud server or on the internet or any combination.

Now if you want similar functionality, on a tablet or smartphone, pages size-detection and layout can be adapted to appropriately support the host devices. Of course for web support you would have to either buy or better yet build/install your own webserver/domain/DNS. Note: IIS or/and Apache are free.

Note: I sent a link and some suggestions along with a post when I responded to one of John's posts, on how to run local applications. Much of this is really leading edge stuff as there has never been any integration between desktop and the browser...but that is all changing...for good or bad...it does sound dangerous to me too.

Aside: If you run your own Cloud, on your servers (http://owncloud.org) or pay someone else to do so, it will soon be feasible to deploy your own containers (https://www.docker.io). Containers are similar to a Virtual Drive but they are like a self-contained computer with the OS and applications and float within a completely secure Cloud environment. Containers can be updated, replicated or deleted instantly and are only dependant on the systems resources and/or demands (note: Docker is a distributive system so it can run across a cluster of virtually any number of computers) and any desktop application can be run from them...using any number of internet protocols. Check out the following link for an example of what can be (easily?) done: http://eqldata.com/kb/1051/share
     
Jim     

----- Original Message -----
From: "Charlotte Foust" <charlotte.foust at gmail.com>
To: "Access Developers discussion and problem solving" <accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
Sent: Friday, February 28, 2014 8:30:42 AM
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Ramblings of a nutcase

Jim,

It's easy to say the desktop is dead unless you need to get some work done.
 I defy anyone to do anything meaningful in a spreadsheet on a smart watch
or even a phone.  You can build something somewhere else and run it on
those devices, but you still need a larger display to create it.  I have a
windows tablet that I rarely use because I'm on my laptop all the time.  So
my two must-have devices are an android phone and a windows 8.x laptop.
 Guess what?  I use the browser for email and research.  I have nothing
against web apps, but they don't fill every niche, and I think the desktop
(or at least, the laptop or all-in-one) is going to be around for a while.

Charlotte


On Thu, Feb 27, 2014 at 9:34 PM, Jim Lawrence <accessd at shaw.ca> wrote:

> Hi All:
>
> The truth of the matter is that OS FEs are history. Anyone with a little
> bit of effort can make own front end via the browser; HTML, CSS,
> JavaScripts, libraries and so on. If you are so inclined the browser
> interface could be made to look like a Windows8.x or any other
> interface...It is all limited by your imagination.
>
> Companies like Save-On-Foods, Rona and Walmart just run a browser front
> end to their invoicing applications (cashiers work stations). They could be
> setup for any type of application, whether it is just a single station, a
> network or a full or partial internet set of apps. It is great when the
> systems support guy can broadcast an application to any station on the
> network and can change the UI depending on any policy deemed appropriate
> per group or per individual.
>
> This concept can be made to over-ride the standard licensing of per
> station or per of user and that is why there is so much blow-back to this
> type of implementation. Also there is no limits on the type of applications
> and what OS that can be run...as long as there is an full-link whether UNC
> or HTML...the applications and data can be stored locally, anywhere on the
> network, anywhere on the internet or in the Cloud (local or remote) (...and
> of course whether your station is physically capable of performing the
> task).
>
> All a station needs is to have is the ability to connect via a variety of
> standard protocols.
>
> In summary, our new powerful browsers are in the process of making our
> desktops irrelevant, IMHO.
>
> Aside: Some ambitious soul could build a Windows8.x interface and fix it.
> ;-)
>
> Jim
>
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