Rich Internet Applications (RIAs)

Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) are web applications that offer the responsiveness, “rich” features and functionality approaching that of desktop applications. Early Internet applications supported only a basic HTML graphical user interface (GUI). Though they could serve simple functions, these applications did not have the look or feel of a desktop application. The relatively slow Internet connections these applications relied on led to the term “World Wide Wait.” RIAs are a result of today’s more advanced technologies that allow greater responsiveness and advanced GUIs.
Technologies used to develop Rich Client Applications are:

• Ajax
• Dojo
• Flex
• Silverlight
• Java FX
• Ruby on Rails
• Script.aculo.us
• JavaServer Faces
• ASP.NET Ajax
• Adobe Integrated Runtime and Google Gears

Refer these links for more details on above technologies

“History.” The Dojo Toolkit, 10 April 2007 <http://dojotoolkit.org/book/dojo-book-0-9/introduction/history>.
“Adobe Flex 2.” Adobe <http://www.adobe.com/products/flex/whitepapers/pdfs/flex2wp_technicaloverview.pdf>.
Cubrilovic, N. “Silverlight: The Web Just Got Richer.” TechCrunch, 30 April 2007 <http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/04/30/silverlight-the-web-just-got-richer>.
“Sun Radically Simplifies Content Authoring—Previews JavaFX Script.” Sun Microsystems, 8 May 2007 <http://www.sun.com/aboutsun/pr/2007-05/sunflash.20070508.2.xml>.
“Prototype Tips and Tutorials.” Prototype JavaScript <http://prototypejs.org/learn>.
“Core Effects.” Script.aculo.us Wiki <http://wiki.script.aculo.us/scriptaculous/show/CoreEffects>.
Berlind, D. “Google Gears Vies to be De Facto Tech for Offline Web Apps.” ZDNet, 31 May 2007 <http://blogs.zdnet.com/Berlind/?p=504>.
Mills, E. “Google Gears Churns Toward Microsoft.” CNET, 31 May 2007 <http://news.com.com/2100-1012_3-6187942.html>.
“The 70 Percent Solution.” Business 2.0, 28 November 2005 <http://money.cnn.com/2005/11/28/news/newsmakers/schmidt_biz20_1205/>.
“The Dojo Offline Toolkit.” The Dojo Toolkit <http://dojotoolkit.org/offline>.