RIAs = Beta Internet Applications?

Writing on the Streamingmedia.com blog, Dom Robinson considers whether the developers of Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) have effectively been acting as beta testers for browser developers to help them decide what features are likely to be in demand or not:

“While the prevalence of Internet Explorer will be a fallback position for Microsoft should Silverlight be rendered redundant, Adobe doesn’t have such a browser business to fall back on. I think it highly unlikely that there will be any sudden change, though it does seem that the RIAs have been, in effect, a bit of a “beta lab” to try out the demand for features that are lacking in the browsers. Logically they may continue for a long time, always giving the Flash and Silverlight developers to create something that goes above and beyond the average browser experience. That said, is it logical for both companies to continue to act as if their “beta labs” are a reliable solution for publishers that are developing long-term publishing workflows?” [Read More]

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