Heads up: FOSS flavors of AJAX commercial apps
Ajax-Animator
(http://antimatter15.110mb.com/)
I don’t know if I’m behind on the news, but there has been a basic yet usable Flash visual editor (like the real thing) lying around for quite some time. Ajax-Animator, a simple browser-based application that looks like a stripped-down version of the Flash IDE, lets you create simple animation using its ingenious user interface. Here’s a screenshot:
If you want to try out Ajax Animator you can check out the demo at the project’s homepage at this page. Personally, I find this attempt at trying to emulate the Flash development interface very impressive, it even lets you add layers and switch from one frame to another.
The project is currently adding new features to the application, so some functionality might be incomplete or not work at all. Perusing the website reveals that development on Ajax-Animator might be experiencing some problems. However, the site lets you submit suggestions to the developers about adding new features, fixing bugs, etc. Just check out their website regularly for updates.
OpenLaszlo
(http://www.openlaszlo.org/front_page)
Rich Internet Applications (RIA) are actually web-based applications that have been made to look and function like your typical desktop applications. OpenLaszlo (pronounced laslo) is one of the few development platforms available for creating RIA’s on the web. This Java-based platform lets you create dynamic forms and user interfaces using its own LZX language, then compiles it into an SWF Flash application that you can embed in your pages.
Here’s a sample on YouTube on how to code in OpenLaszlo:
OpenLaszlo is also used by major sites like Yahoo in their interactive web services.
