BEA Systems showed off a prototype technology Wednesday that aims to extend the familiar Web browser and make it a more useful tool for people working on a laptop or handheld computer with only occasional Internet connectivity.
The goal is to create a "universal client platform" that will allow mobile workers to get as much use from their applications when they are travelling as they would when they have a permanent connection to the Internet, said Adam Bosworth, BEA's chief architect, in a speech at BEA's eWorld conference.
Dubbed Alchemy, the technology extends the idea of a Web browser by adding an additional memory cache for fetching and storing information that a user might want to view offline. It also includes a server component that handles synchronization requests from clients and can tap into other sources of data to complete transactions.
BEA has been working with several industry partners to develop Alchemy, including Nokia and Intel, according to Bosworth. It will draw from existing standards as much as possible, including XML-based technologies such as XQuery, and when Alchemy is complete it will be made available on an open-source basis, he said.
BEA isn't looking to supplant Microsoft's ubiquitous Internet Explorer Web browser. Instead, the technology would likely come in the form of a plug-in for existing browsers, said Erik Frieberg, a senior director of product marketing with BEA.
Bosworth didn't offer a time frame for when Alchemy might find its way into product form, but suggested that work remains to be done. "It's not a product, it's a concept. We've basically proved to ourselves that this is a doable task," he said. He was joined on stage by his young son, an up and coming coder, who helped demonstrate the offline capabilities.
Besides making workers on the road more productive, Alchemy could help businesses cut costs by allowing them to develop an application once that could be delivered to all types of clients, Bosworth said. The server component of Alchemy includes templates that would tailor the application for the type of device being used.
Several vendors already offer client and server software for deploying applications to mobile devices. Sybase's iAnywhere division is viewed by many analysts as the market leader, and also promises to let companies develop an application once and deploy it to multiple devices.
While Alchemy may overlap with some products already available, its breakthrough may be that it proposes a standard for the caching architecture that could be shared by other vendors. Most, if not all, existing products use proprietary cache technologies, said Shawn Willet, principal analyst with Current Analysis Inc.
Application interfaces for Alchemy are built with simple HTML tools such as Macromedia Inc.'s Dreamweaver and Microsoft's FrontPage, meaning developers wouldn't need to learn much in the way of new skills, Bosworth said.
Alchemy users could go out and "prefetch" data before going offline, meaning an application could download the latest information about customers, for example, and store it in the cache. It could also be set to synchronize automatically whenever a network connection becomes available -- something Bosworth called "a Starbucks moment."
Get the independent advice and expertise you need to support a virtual workforce.
The increase in Linux popularity has increased the frequency and sophistication of malware attacks. Read this 2 page white paper now to learn how you can protect your Linux environment with real-time protection that is certified by all major Linux vendors.
Download now »Ensuring acceptable application delivery will become even more difficult over the next few years. As a result, IT organizations need to ensure that the approach that they take to resolving the current application delivery challenges can scale to support the emerging challenges. This handbook elaborates on the key tasks associated with planning, optimization, management and control and provides decision criteria to help IT organizations choose appropriate solutions.
Download now »A common misconception is that mid-range storage requirements are dramatically different than that of a larger enterprise. Mid-range storage users may require less capacity, but they have similar functionality and management requirements. This ESG paper examines mid-range storage needs and reviews a new solution that adjusts size while retaining value, performance and functionality.
Download now »
Like any valuable resource, IT is a terrible thing to waste. But by applying the same lean techniques that have been used to streamline manufacturing processes, IT departments can reduce costs, improve performance and better manage resources.
Download now! »Stephen Elliot, vice president of strategy for CA's Infrastructure Management and Data Center Automation business unit, explains why difficult economic times drive the need for simplified management capabilities and advanced automation tools.
Listen now! »According to a recent study CA conducted with 300 CIOs and top IT executives, 64 percent of respondents say they've already invested in virtualization, and the other 36 percent reported that they plan to invest in virtualization.
Download now! »In this video learn about process automation in a virtualized world. How CA and VMware are enabling enterprise datacenter automation.
View now! »