From the Inside: March/April 2012
The user interface is changing again. Oh, Bother! Not again, but it is true. I expect to see a major change in the Business UI and applications within the next year.
Why do I say that? Well, let's take a look at the Microsoft Windows 8 and the rumored Google Android 5. Each of these operating systems are making a bid for the BYOD enterprise and how users interact with the enterprise.
If you are unfamiliar with the term BYOD, it stands for "Bring your Own Device." This philosophy stems from the fact that everyone now has a smartphone and their own laptop, with their own preferred software, and knowledge about how they work together. If you allow your employees to bring their own laptops, they will be more productive, and the maintenance and support costs go down.
The VM desktops, Terminal Services, and Desktop VHD are the current interfaces that are used. But as smartphone/tablet interfaces are built for the enterprise application, it doesn't take much to extend that to a windows application with something like PhoneGap, Titanium, and other development environments. Don't forget the standard web browser either.
Imagine using only your smartphone as your desktop processor, and then plugging it into a desktop or laptop dock to get more processing and/or screen real-estate.
Blackberry has tried this with the PlayBook, but users found it too proprietary. Motorala is doing it now with the Astrix. Asus is doing it with their ePad and Transformer Tablets. Now Microsoft introduces an additional development framework (Metro) in Windows 8 that provides developers the ability to create one application that is desktop, tablet, and mobile friendly.
Now, why do I bring this up? We are going to see more and more heavy development put back onto the server, and more and more UI separation from the heavy lifting. This is going to affect how enterprise applications are built and designed:
Backend/Server
Smartphone (small screen design/limited input)
Tablet (Medium screen design/touch input)
Desktop (full screen design/extended full feature input)
Web Browser (public screen design/full input)
I believe if your application can't be accessed by these four user interfaces, you are going to be stuck in the Stone Age again. While it may take a few years to get to this point, it is coming, and now is the time to prepare.
We have a unique ability among developers. We can easily be this flexible, and if you provide this functionality now, you can impress your prospects and bosses. While this seems daunting, I can promise you that it is easier than you think it is.
Keep an eye out for more information in future issues that address this.
Nathan Rector, President of International Spectrum, has been in the MultiValue marketplace as a consultant, author, and presenter since 1992. As a consultant, Nathan specialized in integrating MultiValue applications with other devices and non-MultiValue data, structures, and applications into existing MultiValue databases. During that time, Nathan worked with PDA, Mobile Device, Handheld scanners, POS, and other manufacturing and distribution interfaces.
In 2006, Nathan purchased International Spectrum Magazine and Conference and has been working with the MultiValue Community to expand its reach into current technologies and markets. During this time he has been providing mentorship training to people converting Console Applications (Green Screen/Text Driven) to GUI (Graphical User Interfaces), Mobile, and Web. He has also been working with new developers to the MultiValue Marketplace to train them in how MultiValue works and acts, as well as how it differs from the traditional Relational Database Model (SQL).
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