Curl enables rich Internet apps outside the browser

Jake Widman
Friday, 08 May 2009 01:07

Your IT - Home IT

Curl announced version 7 of its Rich Internet Application (RIA) development platform, which enables the creation of Web-based apps that can be run from a standalone client.

Curl's platform has been aimed at companies who want to build Web-based applications that provide similar functionality to their existing client-server apps.

The new version enables the development of a so-called "Fit Client," a desktop application that can provide RIA functionality outside of a browser.

This was possible before, but the capability had to be built into the content by the programmers. With the new version, choosing how to run the app will just require a simple selection by the user.

The desktop applications can be configured to run in a secure sandbox with limited system privileges.

Curl faces competition from the likes of Adobe, whose Air platform likewise enables the development of fit clients; and Microsoft, whose next version of Silverlight is expected to support funning applications outside the browser.

But Curl claims its platform offers greater security, since it allows administrators to override user settings, as well as improved performance, since it compiles applications to the hardware.

And in any case, it's out now, while Silverlight 3 is still in beta.