Browsers for Distributed Systems: Universal Paradigm or Siren's Song

摘要

Web based browsers are quickly becoming ubiquitous in the workplace. Software development managers are quick to incorporate browsers into a broad range of software development projects, often inappropriately. The purpose of this technical report is to examine the technical issues relevant to incorporating browsers as a component of a commercial off the shelf (COTS) based solution and to establish a set of guidelines to help determine when a browser based solution is appropriate or when an alternate solution may be better suited to the application. Issues examined include portability, performance, functionality, security, human factors, distribution, installation, upgrading, component based development, runtime configuration management, and licensing.