Use VB.NET or Java or Flash?

[gecko]

Hi everyone,

I need to develop an online Thinking Map application where the user can do the following:

a)User clicks a button, a circle pops up
b)User double clicks the circle to enter text within the circle
c)User clicks a button, a map node (another smaller circle pops up)
d)User repeats step b.
e)User can chat with another user who is viewing the same map
f) Maps that have been created can be saved to a server

My question is:
So far the examples that I've seen are developed using Java and Flash.
Is it possible to create the above application using VB.net?

[Frinavale]

In an ASP.NET application the VB.NET (or C#) code is executed on the Web Server. Most of the stuff you have described so far is done client side (not server side) and therefore will have to be done using a client side language (like JavaScript).

You should really look into using SilverLight. SilverLight is executed client side but lets you develop using VB.NET (or C#). It is supported by most major web browsers, it provides the .NET Framework client side, and can be compared to Flash. It is very powerful, "flashy", and I think would best suit your needs.

Trying to do this using pure JavaScript and Ajax will be extremely difficult. Even though Flash is a viable option, I wouldn't recommend it simply because it gets very confusing while debugging etc.

Even though your application will mainly be developing client side, it still requires server execution (for the maps and stuff).

Check out SilverLight. It's really cool and since Microsoft is competing with Google Maps you may find some very useful Virtual Earth stuff out there that will help you. (Check out this control for example!)

Good luck

-Frinny

[gits]

... Trying to do this using pure JavaScript and Ajax will be extremely difficult. ...

i would like to agree with that ... but i just cannot, because the '... extremely ...' sounds a bit rigid ;) ... the use of a pure JavaScript solution really depends on the requirements ... as far as i could see there is nothing very special that needs to be implemented here ... but i could underestimate what a 'thinking map' is, and how it is presented in the client? the more real graphical support you would need the more silverlight or flash should be considered, but in case you would have quite easy-graphics that could be connected with straight horizontal/vertical lines it would be quite easy to create a custom solution out of some JavaScript and divs with some css magic ;) ...

kind regards

PS: here is an example for what you can do with JavaScript ;)

[Frinavale]

Cute Gits :)

I guess I assumed they were doing something with geographical maps, not site maps.

[gits]

may be you are right ... and i misunderstood the term 'thinking map' ... where i thought about it as a mindmap or something similar. i think the most problematic part of such an application is the 'collaborative' one ... i mean to share the same map and synchronize that to all clients ...

kind regards

[gecko]

Hi,

Thanks for suggestions!

Like what gits said, the collaborative part is a major head-scratcher. It goes something like this application:

http://www.scriblink.com/

[gecko]

Does it help much to have Microsoft Expression Blend?

[Frinavale]

It will help if you choose to use SilverLight.

[gits]

as far as i could see it wouldn't solve the synchronize/collaboration problem ... where you would need to solve the following kind of problems:

• webpages need to poll for updated versions unless you find a way to push to the clients
• how to handle multiuser issues? may be you merge all current updates or you lock the 'item' for one update-operation and let only one user work with it until he/she is done with the changes
• what timeintervals should be used to check for locks?
• etc.

kind regards

[gecko]

:) Thanks a lot for answering my questions! I've got much to learn!!!!!!