systematicHR

The intersection between HR strategy and HR technology

,

Web 2.0: Ajax versus Adobe Flex

systematicHR Avatar

As we get more Web 2.0 applications in the HR arena, perhaps it deserves a short explanation of what some of the competing technologies are.  When we’ve talked about Web 2.0, (again, defining it as the delivery of a rich internet application or RIA to the end user) we usually think of the AJAX technology.  However, more application vendors are using the Adobe Flex technology including the Taleo Performance release in 2007 and at least one major vendor in early 2008 (I can’t divulge who at this point).

Who cares and what difference does it make to you as a buyer or your employees as end users?  I’ll split up the comparison in two categories: first development and then user experience.

From the development perspective, Adobe Flex clearly wins.  AJAX (being async javascript and XML) is hampered by a couple of things.  First, javascript.  While the original web language of HTML was as light as could be, Java and Javascript are fairly heavy.  The amount of javascript needed to create AJAX pages can be robust, but when one considers creating not just pages, but entire applications, javascript is cumbersome.  Adobe Flex offers a framework for creating applications without the use of heavy coding, although granted it is still necessary.  While in truth, the resultant code does not differ that drastically from AJAX, Flex offers up a nicely packaged toolset.  One huge advantage for AJAX though is that it is open source.  Javascript and XML are both opensource communities, and Flex requires the purchase of product sets from Adobe.

From the end user perspective, the battle between Flex and AJAX is a mixed bag.  Again, AJAX is highly adopted on the open internet, but coding for multiple browsers is not always easy.  I still constantly run into sites that work fine on IE, but not on Firefox.  Because AJAX is a codeset that does not run within an application framework, it is subject to the interpretation of the browser.  If you’re curious and have the capabilities, check out how this site renders in IE, Firefox and Safari.  While I’ve tried to make systematicHR look the same in all three, differences do exist.  The same goes for AJAX and making the end user experience identical for employees using different browsers from their home or work PC’s can be tough.  Flex on the other hand, uses Flash as the application framework (as in those Flash movies that play in ads all over the web).  Therefore, so long as you have Flash Player on the PC, the application will pretty much run the same way giving you consistency in displaying your employer brand.

I’ll argue that Flex is better at developing applications and the AJAX is better suited to individual web pages, for what it’s worth.  In all honesty, developing off either AJAX or Flex is probably not a big decision for HR.  The resultant applications at this point won’t show any better or worse as it’s the skill of the application developer and their requirements design that’s important.  There are of course other tools out there, but these are the two I’m seeing most.  Options are good to have.

Tagged in :

systematicHR Avatar

3 responses to “Web 2.0: Ajax versus Adobe Flex”

  1. .s.htm?expand=1 ), but i want to have a hit counter on ajax pages it loads. Here is the script for the pop-up counter:. HTML Code: … Dynamic Drive Forums – http://www.dynamicdrive.com/forumsWeb 2.0: Ajax versus Adobe FlexBy systematicHR While in truth, the resultant code does not differ that drastically from AJAX, Flex offers up a nicely packaged toolset. One huge advantage for AJAX though is that it is open source. Javascript and XML are both opensource

  2. or is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact admin@systematicHR.com so we can take legal action immediately. Plugin by Taragana Thank you for reading the Tribute Media Human Resources News Feed. Please check the original post here:systematicHR – Human Resources Strategy and Technology. The purpose of this feed it to provide information to the greatest audience possible. In addition, we can drive inbound links to your blog. If you would like to have your blog featured or removed from here or in any of our other newsfeeds, please

  3. Ed Rowe Avatar
    Ed Rowe

    Good article. One point of clarification – using Flex does not require buying anything from Adobe, and Flex is open source as well. See here: http://flex.org/learn/?sdid=BHWBD

    Ed Rowe
    Adobe Systems Inc.

  4. systematicHR Avatar

    Thanks Ed. That’s an important note.