CML User-Services Tier

The user-services tier resides on a local computer. This tier can be either a Web browser, an Outlook® form, or (in non–Web-based applications) a stand-alone compiled front-end application.

When choosing between a browser and a front-end application as an interface, consider their respective strengths.

Strengths of a browser interface:

• Easy to deploy. Only a browser needs to be installed on the client computer.
• Easy to maintain. Users have access to the most recent version of the application without reinstalling the application on their computers.
• Deploys on multiple platforms when application features are supported by all browsers.
• Reduced training costs. It is often easier to teach users how to use a browser than a Windows® application.
• Active Server Pages (ASP) hides application code, though HTML can still be viewed in the browser.

Strengths of a front-end application interface:

• Potentially more feature-rich. The front-end application environments such as Microsoft® Visual Basic® have many features that are not easy to duplicate in a browser. In addition, Windows development environments have over time attracted a wealth of auxiliary tools to enhance applications.
• Diverse browsers can limit functionality of Web implementation, when it is not possible to specify a browser.
• A consistent application environment. A Windows application offers consistency with Microsoft Office applications.
• Protects your investment in intellectual property. A compiled application does not display any code.

The Corporate Media Library (CML) is an intranet application and the only user-interface option is the browser. The CML deploys an Internet Explorer 4.0 browser interface. Today the tools and technologies are available to create feature-rich browser interfaces. The CML Web Page Technologies, CML Features, and CML ASP Source Files sections describe the technologies and provide code samples showing how this was achieved in the CML application.