Shashank wrote:
"But there is a strong value proposition in the web services architecture
and ignoring the inherent benefits of new technologies such as web services,
which is what Victor's email seemed to be so blatantly doing, is what I was
writing against."
"Ignoring... blatantly... writing against..." Now, now, no need to get nasty
Shanx :-) I think you misunderstood me there for just a second. Sorry that I
didn't comment on this before; it seems to me that my words got
misinterpeted somewhere along the way.
I was merely pointing out that basic mobile webpages provide no client-side
intelligence. As you might well know, landline internet pages *do* provide
client-side intelligence through browser-based Javascript. They aid
applications that need calculations and real-time data processing. I didn't
say you need fat-clients, just that you don't want dumb clients with
wireless networks just yet.
Shashank wrote:
"In any case, to make this thread more relevant to the present forum, it
would be helpful if you or Victor can actually mention some facts from your
experience that make it important to have client-side software on
keitai...for instance, is there some functionality that cannot be delivered
on a web-based or webservices-based model and accessed via a common access
platform such as a browser on a keitai or a handheld?"
From a user accessing ERP apps over a wireless networks POV, some very basic
problems occur when using the mobile internet connection too often: (These
are challenges seen with *current* networks in place!)
Please note that all of these problems stem from the mobile network not
being able to handle data efficiently. They have nothing to do with where
the actual functionality resides (client, middleware or server). I just
noted that some intelligence on the client side (e.g. javascript or the
like) could lower the burder on the network.
* Cost of connection -- with current per-bit/per-minute data plans, users
accumulate huge bills when accessing data mobily. They access different
pages often as seen in f/e a Sales rep. scenario. Client database, product
database, billing database etc. all has to be accessed for a single
transaction.
* Speed of connection -- current wireless networks offer speeds up to 14
kbps, which may not be fast enough for the hurry-hurry sales rep.
* Database traffic overload -- don't know how real this problem is, but it
is immaginable that in theory databases where not designed to be accessed
that often by that many users at once. <-- I'm not ERP God or anything, so
it might as well not be a problem that can't be solved by using faster
hardware or better (more?) middleware.
* Connection availability -- even more of a problem in the U.S., this is
also lacking in remote Japanese or European areas, industrial (high-tech)
areas and underground research labs. And yes, sales reps *do* visit to these
places.
Don't get me wrong Shanx, I *do* believe light/thin/airhead clients are the
future, but all I'm saying is that with current mobile networks, the burden
on the slow network can be lightened with more intelligence on the client's
side. Performing simple calculations would already help or, as James points
out, maybe a quick database sync here and there. This is how current mobile
ERP implementations are, thought an incredible amount of research is being
done on light mobile clients.
Now as far as relevance to Keitai-l goes, this threat has become relevant to
anyone designing mobile (business) apps. While on the landline web the
evangelism is "thin clients, fat pipes, fat servers", we do not have these
fat pipes on the mobile nets (just yet). SAP has built a very successful
thin-client Workplace, that has practically no need for fat client software.
But the mobile networks offer a lot less bandwith, so IMO we have to be
careful not to overstrain the network. Concluding I would say that both you,
Shanx, and James are right; it's just time we got better mobile pipes.
Regards,
Victor Pikula
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Received on Mon Dec 10 21:31:40 2001