OSNews

"what would your interest be in a XUL based framework - yes, running only on mozilla - that lets you create front-ends to db's, like in Access / VB / Delphi, with data-bound controls and grids."

I have thought about this myself. I recently did work in Enterprise Java where I exposed Session Beans as web services. Then I consumed those web services in XUL - using remotely hosted XUL. I had a little framework for 'deserializing' value objects (bulk beans) and all in all it was pretty cool.

I think that if only the Mozilla crew saw that the could be contenders against Remote Avalon they could create an strong competition for that space. As long as they think in terms of email/web browser then Mozilla won't get the support it needs.

Here are my issues with XUL (although I really want to like it). I am suggesting remote XUL as the way to go because users and administrators don't want to deal with installing apps.

1) remote XUL has many issues - by default you get all these popup messages about security when accessing your forms and your data. The support for localization depends on DTD, which is not available in remote xul - big issue.

2) XPCOM is modeled after COM - I mean query interfaces? really? I gave that shit up when I found Java, please a better object model Especially since JS late binds anyway, why not bind against all interfaces (which we would in the Java class model or .NET class model).

3) you really are expected to know C++ when dealing with XUL, sure most things can be done in JavaScript. But if we want something that can compete w/ VB or Delphi it needs to have full and clean support in a language other than C++. It needs to be an equal language not a tag on, and I really doubt the Mozilla guys would go for that.

4) The support for vector graphics in XAML is just too sexy for me - unless XUL starts working this way I would keep thinking I was working with second class tools and my heart wouldn't be in it.

5) The little research I did suggested there was not good support for image processing. For example, I want to load in a 20 MB image file and be able to zoom/pan that image very fast and have no flicker or artifacts.

Continuing both 4 and 5 I want a powerful 2D graphics library comparable to Java2D or .NET.

Dune_Buggy: I'm not really into data binding that much. I find it is always to simplistic and has a hard time w/ relationships. If you have a data binding solution that works for you that is great. In the bigger picture, though, XUL serves more as a proof of concept. Sadly MS seems to be the one benifiting from it the most. Hardly a week goes by that I don't wish there was a system that combined the good parts of XUL and XAML and a few other odds and ends.