Microsoft ActiveX: Developing Exciting Content and Applications for
the Internet and Intranets
Introduction
While the World Wide Web currently
provides a way to see documents across the world, its future capabilities
range far beyond this one function. The Web's promise as a mechanism for
distributing software will drive the creation of new categories of
applications for entertainment, self-improvement, and all types of
commerce. Businesses are pursuing these opportunities by setting up
Internet sites that provide end users with an engaging interactive
experience that attracts and retains "viewership." Many companies are also
exploring the use of Web-based technologies to provide internal
information and software applications to their employees. Businesses can
use internal Webs, also known as intranets, for applications in areas such
as software distribution, customer support, human resources, and finance. www.tartoos.com
Microsoft®
ActiveX™ is a set of technologies that lets you build real business
applications for the Internet and intranets that run across multiple
platforms. Developers can write such applications using the programming
languages C, C++, and Java™ and run these applications across platforms
such as the Microsoft Windows® family, Macintosh®, and UNIX. Embracing
both Java and OLE object technology, ActiveX provides promising new
Internet and intranet capabilities while extending and capitalizing upon
existing customer investments. www.tartoos.com
For example, a
corporate developer can create an application to retrieve employee
information by writing a Java applet for the user interface and by using
functionality from an existing software component that interfaces with a
back-end database.
With ActiveX,
developers and Web producers can create compelling, interactive content
with a wide variety of tools from dozens of tool vendors. ActiveX provides
interoperability on the client and the server between development tools,
authoring tools, database products, and networking technologies. ActiveX
embraces Internet standards and moves the Internet beyond static documents
to provide users with a more interactive, exciting, and useful experience.
ActiveX will give developers and Web producers a rich platform for
innovative applications on the Internet, while preserving their
investments in applications, tools, and source code.
Microsoft
Internet Explorer 3.0 will debut ActiveX, bringing the power of ActiveX to
end users and enabling them to view and run rich, powerful content and
applications. Because ActiveX is also supported in Netscape Navigator
(although it requires the ActiveX plug-in for Netscape Navigator,
available from
www.microsoft.com/), producers building ActiveX
content can be ensured of the largest possible target audience.
With ActiveX,
the following types of people benefit in these ways:
www.tartoos.com
-
End users
gain exciting and powerful applications for the Internet and intranets
with Internet Explorer.
-
Developers
can create powerful applications using existing and new tools and
languages.
-
Web
producers can create exciting content for the Internet and intranets
using simple tools and ensure that their content reaches the widest
audience.
-
MIS
decision makers gain an open platform that enables choice and
leverages existing investments.
What Is ActiveX?
The past few
years have seen the rapid growth of the Internet with increasing numbers
of people using the World Wide Web for document retrieval. At the same
time, powerful desktop and server personal computers have become less and
less expensive, driving a revolution in productivity for individuals and
businesses. ActiveX combines the benefits of the World Wide Web and the
personal computer to enable interactive distributed applications and
richer communications between users.
ActiveX also
addresses an issue shared by many businesses that are increasingly looking
to use Internet-based technologies for internal applications in areas such
as software distribution, customer support, human resources, and finance.
These applications require a "platform" that provides application
developers a rich set of interoperable tools and components coupled with
robust networking capabilities to enable seamless communication with
Internet resources.
Microsoft ActiveX is an open integration
platform that provides developers and Web producers the fastest and
easiest way to create exciting interactive applications and content for
the Internet and intranets.www.tartoos.com
ActiveX Combines the Best of the Personal Computer and the Web
Because ActiveX
embraces existing desktop technologies, as well as new Web-based
technologies such as Java, customers get the best of both the personal
computer and the Web. Some specific benefits gained through this
combination of technologies are:
-
Rich
Interactive Content and Applications: ActiveX leverages the full
power of the computer to provide unique Web sites and applications.
Because of the range of tools, languages, and components supported, Web
producers can differentiate content, providing a unique and memorable
experience that will attract and retain users.
-
Reach:
ActiveX is supported in Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. The
vast majority of Web users have the capability today (on their desktops)
to view and use ActiveX content. Users can run ActiveX applications from
different operating systems such as the Windows family of operating
systems or the Macintosh. End users, developers, and Webmasters can
select hardware architecture from several manufacturers for running
ActiveX applications. www.tartoos.com
-
High-Quality Tools and Enabling Technologies: ActiveX provides
developers, end users, and Webmasters a wide choice of existing
technologies and applications that can be used for the
Internet/intranets as well as new technologies such as Java. Developers
get a wide selection of tools and languages to choose from in order to
develop Internet/intranet applications. For example, developers can
build Internet/intranet applications using Microsoft Visual C++®,
Microsoft's Java development tool Visual J++™, Borland C++, Symantec
C++, and the next version of Microsoft Visual Basic®. Webmasters can
choose from several authoring tools to develop powerful content
including applications, while Web producers have a choice of over 1,000
shrink-wrapped components, available today, to add interactivity to
their Web sites.
www.tartoos.com
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Standards-Based Compatibility: ActiveX is compatible with existing
investments in software, hardware, and human resources. For example,
developers can leverage their existing knowledge of Microsoft Visual C++
to develop applications for the Internet and intranets using the same
tool. Visual Basic developers can leverage their existing Visual Basic
knowledge to develop scripts for the Internet using Visual Basic
Scripting Edition (VB Script), an open scripting language for the
Internet. With Visual Basic, developers can use their existing knowledge
and code to develop Internet and intranet applications. Java developers
can write applications in Java that expose Component Object Model (COM)
interfaces and that use COM interfaces, building upon existing
investments in components and knowledge. ActiveX also provides support
for a wide selection of networking protocols and standards such as
TCP/IP, HTTP, NNTP and SMTP.
www.tartoos.com
ActiveX Is an Open Platform for Internet/Intranet Applications
As seen in
Figure 1, ActiveX consists of a client-side platform, a server-side
platform, development tools, authoring tools, and networking technologies.
ActiveX will provide users, Webmasters, and developers with a rich
platform for innovative applications on the Internet, while preserving
their investments in applications, tools, knowledge, and code.
Figure
1. Microsoft ActiveX is an open platform for Internet/intranet
applications.
ActiveX on the client
ActiveX on the
client is the client-side platform that enables applications and content
to be run and viewed on an end user's system. Applications and content can
be either present on the client system itself or automatically downloaded
from the server and viewed and run on the client. ActiveX on the client
consists of:
-
Microsoft
Internet Explorer, which brings the benefits of ActiveX to end users and
enables them to run Java applets and ActiveX controls written in Java,
Visual C++, and other languages.
-
Scripting
engines for running scripts written in VB Script and JavaScript. www.tartoos.com
-
ActiveX
controls bundled with Internet Explorer for viewing and editing
different kinds of content such as ActiveVRML™ (for 3D virtual reality
modeling), ActiveMovie™ (for audio/video), and more.
With ActiveX on
the client, users can run ActiveX controls written in different languages,
such as Java, Visual C++, Visual Basic, and others. ActiveX on the client
supports HTML 3.0 content, including support for frames, stylesheets, and
tables. www.tartoos.com
ActiveX on the server
ActiveX on the
server is the server-side platform that provides clients with Internet
services, applications, data, and content. Applications and content can be
hosted on the same server that runs the Web Server or on other systems.
Data can be hosted in any SQL database or any database that supports Open
Database Connectivity (ODBC). With ActiveX on the server, developers can
write Common Gateway Interface (CGI) applications, Internet Server
application programming interface (ISAPI) Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs)
that run on the server side, and scripts. ActiveX on the Server consists
of:
-
Microsoft
Internet Information Server, which supports CGI applications, ISAPI
DLLs, connectivity to databases, and so forth.
-
Server side
scripting, code named Denali.
-
Transactions,
code named Viper.
-
Message
Queuing, code named Falcon.
For more
detailed information on ActiveX on the Server, please refer to the section
"Writing Server Side Applications."
ActiveX development/authoring Tools
Software
developers can use ActiveX development tools to create exciting and
powerful applications for the Internet and intranets. ActiveX development
tools include new products such as Microsoft Visual J++, as well as
established ones such as Microsoft Visual C++ and Visual Basic. This
flexibility gives developers a wide selection of development tools and
languages to create applications for the Internet and intranets.www.tartoos.com
ActiveX
authoring tools enable Webmasters to develop exciting content for the
Internet and intranets. These authoring tools are very simple to use and
do not require extensive technical knowledge. Webmasters can use Microsoft
FrontPage™ to create effective HTML content and to manage Web sites. For
instance, a Web producer can, with a few "point and clicks", create a form
in a Web page for getting feedback information.
www.tartoos.com
ActiveX Is Cross-Platform
Microsoft is
currently working with Metrowerks Inc. to provide ActiveX on the
Macintosh. Developers who write ActiveX controls in Java can be assured
that their controls will run seamlessly on both Windows and the Macintosh
through Internet Explorer. In addition, Macintosh developers will be able
to write native Macintosh ActiveX controls in languages such as C++ using
Metrowerks CodeWarrior development tools, and be assured that these
ActiveX controls will run on Internet Explorer for the Macintosh. ActiveX
on the client will be available on the Macintosh and end users will be
able to run ActiveX controls written in Java, Visual C++, and Visual Basic
using Internet Explorer for the Macintosh. Developers will also be able to
write scripts in VB Script that will run on Internet Explorer for the
Macintosh.
UNIX support is
also provided. Developers can write ActiveX controls that run on all major
UNIX systems today using software from Bristol Technology, Inc. and
Mainsoft Corporation.
www.tartoos.com
ActiveX Is Open and Based on Standards
ActiveX
provides choice in software, hardware, networking technologies,
development tools, languages, and more to customers. ActiveX technologies
are based on industry and organizational standards such as HTTP, TCP/IP,
and OLE. Microsoft regularly previews ActiveX technologies to independent
software vendors (ISVs) for feedback on design issues and incorporates
this feedback into ActiveX technologies.
MIS Decision Makers: Leverage Existing Investments,
later in this paper, includes a partial listing of standards supported in
ActiveX. www.tartoos.com
End Users: Run Powerful Applications and View Exciting Content with
Internet Explorer
Internet
Explorer 3.0 will debut ActiveX and bring the power of ActiveX to end
users. Internet Explorer supports HTML as well as interactive multimedia
content such as ActiveVRML and ActiveMovie. With Internet Explorer, end
users will be able to run ActiveX controls created in languages such as
Java, Visual C++, and Visual Basic, as well as Java applets. The Java
support in Internet Explorer provides good Java performance and security
to users. Users will be able to use Internet Explorer to seek information,
do business, or just have fun on the Internet. Business users will be able
to use Internet Explorer in areas such as human resources, customer
support, finance, and accounting.
Running Applications Securelywww.tartoos.com
End users are protected from malicious
applications because Internet Explorer ensures that only safe applications
run on end-user systems. ActiveX controls that are hosted on Web sites
trusted by the user can be downloaded and run on the end-user's system
using all the features of the operating system. Users accept such trusted
ActiveX controls just as they trust shrink-wrapped applications today for
the desktop. Because ActiveX will not run the trusted control if it is
modified after leaving the trusted Web site, the user is protected against
malicious modification of applications during download.
www.tartoos.com
On the other hand, ActiveX controls and
Java applets on Web sites that are not trusted by an end user are not
permitted to use all the features of the operating system. Because these
untrusted ActiveX controls and Java applets are downloaded from a Web site
and are limited to using a safe set of operating system features on the
end-user system, they cannot compromise the security of the end-user
system. Internet Explorer ensures that Java applets and untrusted ActiveX
controls do not use the underlying operating system.
Internet
Explorer supports trusted ActiveX controls that are written in languages
such as Java, Visual C++, and Visual Basic. ActiveX supports those
untrusted ActiveX controls written in the Java programming language. www.tartoos.com
Web Producers and Developers: Create Content with Impact
While Internet
Explorer has made viewing exciting content very simple for the end user,
ActiveX allows developers to provide this content with relative ease and
speed.
Creating High-Impact Content and Applications
Developers will be able to write applications that run on ActiveX on the
client by writing ActiveX controls in languages such as Java, Visual C++
and Visual Basic. ActiveX controls can work with other ActiveX controls or
any COM object (see Figure 2). For instance, an ActiveX control written in
Java can either expose COM interfaces or invoke a COM interface on another
ActiveX control. Developers who write simple Java applets can be assured
that these applets will work and interoperate seamlessly with other
ActiveX components. Developers can also write scripts using VB Script or
JavaScript that run on ActiveX on the client. ActiveX will be available on
the Windows family and the Macintosh, and Microsoft plans to make it
available on UNIX systems as well.
Figure
2. ActiveX runs ActiveX controls written in different languages,
such as Visual C++ and Java.
Developers can
take full advantage of the features provided by the targeted operating
system with ActiveX controls written in many different languages. When a
user clicks on a Web page that references an ActiveX control, that control
is downloaded from the server and runs on the end-user's system. For
instance, a developer could write a button ActiveX control that presents a
dialog box asking the user for information.
World-class tools support ActiveX
Developers can
choose from several tools such as Microsoft Visual C++, Borland C++,
Symantec C++, and Microsoft's Java-based development tool, Visual J++. The
next version of Microsoft Visual Basic—Visual Basic version 5.0—will
enable developers to write ActiveX controls very easily. Developers will
be able to convert existing Visual Basic code to ActiveX controls with
simple point-and-click operations.
Writing ActiveX controls in Java
The Java reference implementation in
Windows enables developers to run ActiveX controls in Java by writing
.java files and exposing COM interfaces from Java classes using a type
library. These .java files can then be compiled to generate .class files
in the Java byte code format. The .class files then run on the Java
reference implementation in Windows by first passing through a byte code
verifier that ensures security for the end user. The .class code is then
compiled with a Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler that is part of the reference
implementation, which generates native code that runs on the user's
system. This process is illustrated in Figure 3.
Microsoft is
also publishing the interfaces for enabling other tool vendors to "plug
in" their JIT compilers to the reference implementation, providing choice
to developers and users. All the major tool vendors will enable this
Java-ActiveX integration in their Java development tools.
In
addition, Microsoft is working with Metrowerks to provide the same Java
implementation on the Macintosh as well, so developers who write ActiveX
controls in Java can be assured that their ActiveX controls will also run
seamlessly on the Macintosh. In addition, Macintosh developers can use
Metrowerks CodeWarrior tools to develop ActiveX controls in Java on the
Macintosh. These ActiveX controls will work with other ActiveX controls
written in the same or different languages www.tartoos.com
Figure
3. Architecture for the Java reference implementation in Windows
With the Java
implementation in Windows, developers get the following benefits:
-
Rich,
powerful functionality: Because the reference implementation of Java
in Windows supports Java interoperability with other ActiveX controls,
developers can take full advantage of the features of the underlying
operating system.
-
Compatibility: With Microsoft's Java implementation, developers can
leverage existing ActiveX controls, development tools, and development
languages for creating ActiveX controls that work with other ActiveX
controls written in languages such as Java. Developers thus maintain
compatibility with existing investments while still leveraging new
Internet technologies such as Java.
ActiveX controls run across platforms
ActiveX controls
will run on ActiveX on the client for multiple operating systems such as
the Windows family, Macintosh, and UNIX. Developers can choose to use Java
to create one platform-independent ActiveX control binary that runs on
multiple platforms or write native versions of ActiveX controls optimized
for different target operating systems. www.tartoos.com
Writing
platform-independent ActiveX controls
Developers who
are interested in writing a single platform-independent ActiveX control
binary that runs on multiple operating systems can do this by writing
ActiveX controls using Java development tools such as Microsoft Visual
J++. The resulting binary can be placed on a Web site. When an end user
with a browser clicks on a page referencing this ActiveX control, the
control is downloaded and executed on the end-user's system. www.tartoos.com
Writing
native ActiveX controls
Developers
interested in high-performance applications that use specific features on
the underlying operating system can write "native" ActiveX controls for
different operating systems, such as the Windows family, Macintosh, and
UNIX. Developers can then compile these controls to generate different
binaries and put these on a Web site. When an end user with a browser
clicks on a page referencing an ActiveX control, the appropriate ActiveX
control for that platform is downloaded and executed on the end-user
system.
Because both
"platform-independent" and "native" ActiveX controls will run on Internet
Explorer 3.0 as well as on Netscape Navigator, developers can be assured
that their ActiveX controls written in different languages will run on
most Internet users' systems. Microsoft will make Internet Explorer
available on the Macintosh later this year and is looking at ways to make
it available on all the major UNIX systems.
ActiveX controls
are secure www.tartoos.com
Developers can ensure security for end
users on the Internet and intranets either by writing untrusted ActiveX
controls in Java that are limited to using a safe set of operating system
features or by writing trusted ActiveX controls that use the rich features
of an underlying operating system. Developers can use Java, Visual C/C+,
Visual Basic, or other programming languages and sign trusted ActiveX
controls as being safe.
Writing
untrusted ActiveX controls
ActiveX controls
on Web sites not trusted by an end user are not permitted to use all the
features of the operating system. Because these ActiveX controls running
on ActiveX are downloaded from a Web site and are limited to using a safe
set of operating system features on the end-user system, they cannot
compromise the security of the end-user system. ActiveX guarantees that
such untrusted ActiveX controls do not use the underlying operating system
to compromise security. Developers can write such untrusted ActiveX
controls using Java through Java development tools such as Microsoft
Visual J++.
Writing
trusted ActiveX controls
ActiveX controls
that are hosted on Web sites trusted by the user can be downloaded and run
on the end-user's system using all the features of the operating system.
ActiveX will run trusted applications only if they have not been modified
after they leave the trusted Web site, thus providing protection against
malicious modification of code during download.
Microsoft is part of a digital signature
initiative in the WWW Consortium that allows signed ActiveX controls to be
downloaded and run on users' systems. Digital signatures are the online
analog of shrink-wrapped applications, where users trust the vendor of the
shrink-wrapped application and thereby feel comfortable running that
application on their systems. Developers who need to put up trusted
ActiveX controls on Web sites can obtain a certificate and sign their code
with a digital signature. By affixing a digital signature to the ActiveX
control, the developer is guaranteeing that the code is not malicious.
When an end user clicks on a page that references a trusted ActiveX
control, the signature is downloaded and verified by ActiveX on the
client. The verification helps ensure that the code originated from an
authorized developer with a valid certificate and that the code has not
been modified since the download began. After the verification is
complete, the ActiveX control code is enabled so that it runs safely on
ActiveX on the client. www.tartoos.com
The technology
for signatures is based on PKCS#7 and X.509 standards. Microsoft is
working with VeriSign and over 50 other vendors to deliver this technology
to developers. Developers who need to sign their code can get a
certificate from one of several certificate-issuing authorities. ActiveX
will securely run trusted ActiveX controls that are written in languages
such as Java, Visual C++, and Visual Basic. ActiveX will securely run
untrusted ActiveX controls written in Java.
Scripting ActiveX controls with VB Script
Developers who
need to respond rapidly to changing business requirements need a quick way
to change the behavior of applications for the Internet and intranets.
Developers writing ActiveX controls also need a way to programmatically
coordinate many ActiveX controls referred to from a Web page. While
ActiveX controls are easy to write and modify, they are still compiled and
stored in binary form.
Developers can
meet these needs by using VB Script to script ActiveX controls. With VB
Script, developers can trap events from ActiveX controls, invoke methods,
modify properties of ActiveX controls, and more. Because VB Script code is
very simple to write and is always maintained in source code form in the
Web page itself, it is very easy to modify and is the best way to
coordinate activity across ActiveX controls. With VB Script, developers
get the following benefits:
Safety:
VB Script includes only simple functionality for operations, message
boxes, error messages, and so on. It does not allow functionality such as
file input/output (I/O) or graphics, which could compromise the security
of an end-user's system.
Ease of code
development: VB Script is an easy-to-learn scripting language. It is a
subset of Microsoft Visual Basic, a language that many developers are
already familiar with.
Cross-platform code: Developers can enable their VB Script code to run
on multiple operating systems because the VB Script engine will work on
ActiveX on the client for the Windows family, the Macintosh, and all major
UNIX systems. Microsoft will ship the VB Script engine with Internet
Explorer for both Windows and the Macintosh. Microsoft has licensed VB
Script technology to other vendors, such as Bristol Technology and
Mainsoft, to enable VB Script on all major UNIX systems.
Compatibility: VB Script is compatible with existing investments in
Visual Basic because it is a proper subset of Visual Basic for
Applications. It leverages existing code and knowledge of Visual Basic.
Open Script:
Developers can use VB Script to script ActiveX controls written in
languages such as Java, Visual C++, and Visual Basic. Microsoft will make
the VB Script engine source code available under license free of cost to
browser vendors and application vendors who want to support VB Script in
their applications. Microsoft also plans to enable VB Script code to run
in other browsers, including Netscape Navigator, through a plug-in.
Scripting ActiveX controls and Java applets with JavaScript
Microsoft will
enable JavaScript scripts to run in Internet Explorer 3.0 through a
JavaScript engine. Unlike VB Script, JavaScript code and technology
specifications are not available freely, and hence, Microsoft is working
on a JavaScript-compatible interpreter that will ship with Internet
Explorer.
www.tartoos.com
Inserting ActiveX controls into an HTML page
Developers can
insert ActiveX controls into a Web page by using the <OBJECT> tag in the
HTML page and referring to the ClassId of the ActiveX control. When
a user clicks on a page with an OBJECT tag and a ClassId, ActiveX
on the client looks up the client systems registry to find the ActiveX
control code referred to with the ClassId. If the relevant ActiveX
control is already present on the client system, that code is invoked and
executed on the client. If the ActiveX control code is not already present
on the client system, it is downloaded from the server, installed on the
client after checking for security, and then invoked on the client.
ActiveX will also provide versioning support by enabling the option to
download the latest version of an ActiveX control. More information on
this is available in the ActiveX SDK. www.tartoos.com
Running ActiveX controls on Netscape Navigator
Developers
writing ActiveX controls can be assured of a wide end user audience for
these controls because ActiveX controls will run on Internet Explorer 3.0,
as well as Netscape Navigator (through a Netscape plug-in).
Writing Server-Side Applications
ActiveX server
technologies consist of server-side scripting support (Denali), server
side transactions (Viper), and message queuing (Falcon). By combining
component software, mission critical services, and Internet protocols,
Microsoft is delivering a server platform that will enable companies to
lower their development costs, leverage their existing systems, and
quickly deploy scalable applications for the Internet.
Writing applications with Internet Information Server
With Microsoft's
Internet Information Server, developers can write server side applications
for the Internet or intranets. These applications are written using the
CGI, enables browser users to send data to the server and run an
application on the server and receive data back. Developers can also use
Internet Information Server to write PERL scripts that run on the server.
www.tartoos.com
Developers write
powerful, high-performance, server-side applications by way of Internet
Service API (ISAPI). With ISAPI, developers can write server-side
applications using different languages and enable browser users to run
those programs on the server. Because ISAPI applications run in the same
process as Internet Information Server, good performance is assured.
Multiple ISAPI applications can run on the server at the same time using
the same thread pool, thus enabling efficient system resource usage.
Developers can write ISAPI applications for forms processing, gateways,
statistics gathering, custom authentication, data translations, and more.
With the Internet Information Server, developers can write server side
"filters" by using the ISAPI Filter APIs provided. With such filters,
developers can provide custom authentication, encryption, compression, and
other features based on filters such as URL addresses.
www.tartoos.com
Writing server-side scripts and ActiveX controls
Denali enables
developers to build and run business applications without complex
programming.
-
Developers can
build applications by embedding scripts—JavaScript, VB Script, Perl, or
REXX—directly into HTML pages, avoiding the need to combine HTML layout
directly with low-level system software APIs.
-
Denali scripts
invoke prebuilt ActiveX controls or Java applets that manage business
functions such as order entry, inventory management, and customer
tracking. These components can be built-in house or purchased from third
parties.
-
Denali
executes scripts on the server, tracking customer state and user status
even as the user browses through an application involving multiple Web
pages, server components, and databases.
Writing
transaction applications
Viper enables
multiple server tasks such as credit check, order entry, and inventory
management to execute as a single logical transaction when invoked from a
browser. This ensures correct results for complex business applications on
the Web.
-
Viper combines
features from TP Monitors—including thread, process, and session
management—to achieve scalability with features from object request
brokers (ORBs) to enable component integration and rapid development.
-
Viper
applications automatically execute under transaction control, with full
rollback and recovery, to ensure correct behavior. Viper supports
integration with UNIX and MVS transaction systems through XA and LU 6.2
protocols.
-
Viper
applications are easily built from ActiveX components and server
scripts, including Denali scripts. Viper provides the millions of
existing developers with component security, configuration, packaging,
and deployment services.
Writing message queue applications
Network failure
for static Web applications often means a page cannot be viewed by a user.
Network failure for Internet/intranet applications means that business is
not conducted. Falcon guarantees delivery of work between servers despite
network failures, as follows:
-
Falcon handles server-to-server
communications—transactions, invoices, and database updates—as messages
using store-and-forward message queues to ensure reliable delivery
between servers that are temporarily disconnected.
-
Falcon
applications scale to support thousands of servers. Businesses can
dynamically add and remove Falcon servers without having to reconfigure
Falcon applications.
-
Falcon
services can be invoked from Denali and Viper applications or directly
from Falcon APIs. Falcon supports integration with UNIX and mainframe
transaction and messaging systems through the XA protocol and
third-party gateways.
Choosing from Many Development Tools
Developers can
choose from several existing development tools, as well as new Java tools,
to write applications for ActiveX, thus leveraging their existing
knowledge and expertise. For instance, developers can write ActiveX
controls using tools such as Microsoft Visual C++, Borland C++, Symantec
C++, Microsoft Visual J++, Metrowerks CodeWarrior. Developers will also be
able to choose from Java development tools from Borland, Symantec,
Microsoft, the Powersoft division of Sybase, and other companies to write
applications that run on the Java reference implementation in Windows.
With the next release of Microsoft Visual Basic, developers will be able
to write ActiveX controls using Visual Basic or modify their existing
Visual Basic applications to become ActiveX controls.
www.tartoos.com
MIS Decision Makers: Leverage Existing Investments
ActiveX Is Openwww.tartoos.com
Microsoft has
developed ActiveX by incorporating extensive customer and industry
feedback through its open design process. ActiveX provides choice in
hardware, development tools, platforms, networking technologies, and more.
Developers can write ActiveX applications that will run across operating
systems, and they can choose from many different tools. Webmasters can
create content easily from many available authoring tools. Administrators
can choose from many different networking technologies and hardware to
enable Internet/intranet applications and content on ActiveX.
Microsoft
believes that the essential feature of open systems is choice to the
customer—choice in hardware, software, networking technologies, price, and
performance. In the future, ActiveX technologies will provide a huge
choice of applications to customers. More than 1,000 ActiveX controls
already exist in the market today and many more are under development.
ActiveX is available on many different hardware architectures, for both
the server and client sides provided by several hardware companies.
ActiveX also includes a wide choice of networking technologies including
TCP/IP, HTTP, SMTP, NNTP, and IPX/SPX (see the partial listing of ActiveX
supported standards in the table later in this section). With ActiveX,
developers can choose from a wide selection of tools to create effective
new content and applications for the Internet.
www.tartoos.com
Microsoft has
worked with organizations like the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
to develop new Internet standards such as DHCP, IP next generation (Ipng),
and more.
Microsoft ActiveX technologies are based
on both de jure and de facto standards. The following table shows a
partial list of standards supported by Microsoft ActiveX.
Microsoft
ActiveX supported standards
|
Area
|
Standards and
Technologies in ActiveX (partial listing)
|
|
Networking
|
TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, PPP, SLIP,
DNS, RIP, PPTP, DHCP, WINS, IPng, SSL
|
|
Web
|
HTTP, HTML, VRML
|
|
Communication
|
RTP, T.120, T.127, H.323,
RSVP
|
|
Messaging
|
SMTP, X.400, MIME, POP3
|
|
Databases
|
ODBC (ISO 9942), SQL
|
|
Programming Languages
|
ANSI C (ISO
9899), ANSI C++, Java, Basic
|
|
Directory
|
X.500
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
FTP, Gopher, Telnet
|
Accommodating Business Needs Easily
With
ActiveX, developers can create ActiveX controls or Java applets using one
of many easy-to-use development tools. Because over 1,000 shrink-wrapped
ActiveX controls available in the market today can be scripted using VB
Script or JavaScript, MIS managers can develop software quickly by
leveraging existing shrink-wrapped ActiveX controls. With the next release
of Visual Basic, developers can create ActiveX controls very easily by
using the graphical Visual Basic development environment. www.tartoos.com
|
