In some ways, webpages have't changed a whole lot since HTML 4.0 came out almost ten years ago (an eternity in the world of technology). Sure, more designers have taken up residence online, improving the quality of web aesthetics and improving on CSS usage. And yes, server technologies have improved, along with programming languages to support more robust experiences. But all in all, from 2000 up until recently, we're seeing more of the same type of user interactivity. Enter the RIA -- the Rich Internet Application -- first coined by Adobe and now used broadly to encompass the new wave of web applications on the internet.
What is a Rich Internet Application?
Like the ambiguous "Web 2.0," an RIA has been defined in many ways, but in general, a Rich Internet Application is where desktop applications meet web applications. RIAs usually provide a deep level of interactivity that allow websites to communicate with data in real-time, providing richer experiences usually consigned to desktop applications. Think about the difference between the old way of viewing online maps and how Google has transformed that with Google Maps, allowing users to drag, zoom, and change overlays in real-time. This is the essence of RIA technology and it's changing the way that we look at (and build) websites.
Rich Internet Applications have been talked about for a couple years now, and there are a number of current technologies that are being utilized for building RIAs. There's the ever popular AJAX which is based on javascript (though some would argue that it's not a true RIA). Google has utilized AJAX in its programs like Google Maps, Google Docs, and GMail -- providing functionality that was more or less unseen a few years ago. You also find AJAX in varying degrees in most web applications such as Flickr or Mint. Then there's Flash, which has been finessed for some fine applications such as Yahoo's new stock charts or parts of CNN's ElectionCenter 2008. But both Ajax and Flash have been around for a little while now, and in many ways, have been used as well as they could be. That's where technologies like Adobe Flex, Adobe Air (RIA in a desktop environment), and Microsoft Silverlight have come in (and to a less popular degree, OpenLaszlo and JavaFX). With these platforms, you see sites such as ScrapBlog (Flex), Anywhere.FM (Flex), or Library of Congress exhibits (Silverlight).
What RIAs Mean For Users
First, most web content will stay the same as it's not sensible to begin making content driven sites like blogs into RIAs. But there are many applications involving media (photos, videos, audio, etc.) that RIAs can work well with. This means greater interactivity on the web and hopefully, better experiences (although no doubt, there will be poor implementations that will make the experience worse). All in all, however, there is a world of possibilities that RIAs are exploring, and users can expect tangy goodness as better applications are developed.
What RIAs Mean For Designers/Developers
For many designers and developers, just knowing about RIAs is a start. But in world where new technology is hot and rich media is expected from the marketing budgets of large companies and the investors of small companies, RIAs will continue to play a larger role on the web. A couple advantages:
Opportunities: For anyone who's looked around at creative or development firms, you know that RIA developers (Flex in particular) are in demand. And anytime there's demand, there will be good salaries, signing bonuses, and referral bounties.
Challenge/Excitement: If you're like me, building yet another XHTML/CSS site is pretty boring. Sure you can outsource it to companies that convert designs to XHTML, but overall, there's a certain excitement to utilizing new technologies.
There are a couple disadvantages as well:
Learning Curve: As the skillset required for web designers/developers continues to expand and deepen, so do the knowledge requirements (you can't get away with just knowing HTML and Photoshop anymore). RIAs are no exception, and all of them require a good deal of education and experience.
Barriers of Entry: For many years (and even now), you didn't need a team to create many of the websites out there. But just like the video game industry (which has gone from sole developer in the 80's to Hollywood productions nowadays), the website industry continues to require more complex sites that require larger teams. So if you want to be a startup competing in the RIA space, you had better be very talented, very resourceful, or very funded.
The Next Few Years
No one can predict where the web will be years from now, but you can be sure that RIAs will continue to play a larger role. They've been around for a little while now, and are only beginning to be used more widely. As web workers, we operate in an industry where transition to new technology is paramount to our careers. So take a minute and read up on RIA while checking out the showcases of Flex or Silverlight. And if all this technology begins to bore you, you can always play with colors using the Kuler Rich Internet Application.
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Jon
