DepartmentDepartmentDepartment of of ofMedia Media Media Technology Technology Technology A Mikko Pohja A Mikko Pohja A Mikko Pohja a a a l l l t t TheTheThe World World World Wide Wide Wide Web Web Web has has has expanded expanded expanded from from from a a a t o o o - - - D D D D D hugehugehuge information information information storage storage storage repository repository repository into into into a a a D 5 5 5 WebWebWeb Application ApplicationApplication / / worldwide application platform. Despite all / worldwideworldwide application application platform. platform. Despite Despite all all 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 thethethe benefits benefits benefits of of the of the the Web, Web, Web, web web web applications applications applications are are are 1 sufferingsufferingsuffering because because because they they they are are are developed developed developed using using using UserUserUser Interface InterfaceInterface Web ApplicationWeb User Interface Technologies Web ApplicationWeb User Interface Technologies thethethe same same same technologies technologies technologies as as theas the the static static static ApplicationWeb User Interface Technologies documentsdocumentsdocuments on on onthe the the Web. Web. Web. Additionally, Additionally, Additionally, new new new usageusageusage contexts contexts contexts have have have brought brought brought with with with them them them new new new TechnologiesTechnologiesTechnologies requirementsrequirementsrequirements for for for web web web applications, applications, applications, which which which areareare no no nolonger longer longer used used used only only only via via via Graphical Graphical Graphical User User User Interfaces.Interfaces.Interfaces. Recently, Recently, Recently, several several several parties parties parties have have have developeddevelopeddeveloped specialized specialized specialized technologies technologies technologies for for for web web web MikkoMikkoMikko Pohja Pohja Pohja applicationapplicationapplication development. development. development. The The The goal goal goal of of thisof this this thesisthesisthesis is is to is to analyzeto analyze analyze those those those novel novel novel web web web technologiestechnologiestechnologies and and and propose propose propose improvements improvements improvements to to to thethethe technologies technologies technologies and and and architecture architecture architecture where where where applicable.applicable.applicable. The The The proposed proposed proposed improvements improvements improvements relaterelaterelate to to multimodalto multimodal multimodal interaction, interaction, interaction, server server server push,push,push, and and and remote remote remote UI UI UIupdates updates updates especially especially especially on on on thethethe developers’ developers’ developers’ point-of-view. point-of-view. point-of-view. This This This thesis thesis thesis alsoalsoalso discusses discusses discusses software software software that that that supports supports supports the the the improvementsimprovementsimprovements and and and XML-based XML-based XML-based web web web technologies.technologies.technologies. 9 9 9 ISBN:ISBN:ISBN: 978-952-60-4011-0 978-952-60-4011-0 978-952-60-4011-0 (pdf) (pdf) (pdf) BUSINESSBUSINESSBUSINESS + + + ISBN:ISBN:ISBN: 978-952-60-4010-3 978-952-60-4010-3 978-952-60-4010-3 ECONOMYECONOMYECONOMY H H H S S S ISSN-L:ISSN-L:ISSN-L: 1799-4934 1799-4934 1799-4934 T T T ISSN:ISSN:ISSN: 1799-4942 1799-4942 1799-4942 (pdf) (pdf) (pdf) ARTARTART + + + F F F M ISSN: 1799-4934 M ISSN: 1799-4934 M ISSN: 1799-4934 DESIGNDESIGNDESIGN + + + Aalto UniversityAalto Aalto UniversityAalto Aalto UniversityAalto G G G ARCHITECTUREARCHITECTUREARCHITECTURE * * * a a a AaltoAaltoAalto University University University e e e SchoolSchoolSchool of of Science of Science Science SCIENCESCIENCESCIENCE + + + a a a DepartmentDepartment of of Media Media Technology Technology b Department of Media Technology b b TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY a a a aalto.fiaalto.fiaalto.fi d d d CROSSOVERCROSSOVERCROSSOVER + + + DOCTORAL DOCTORALDOCTORAL DOCTORALDOCTORALDOCTORAL DISSERTATIONSDISSERTATIONSDISSERTATIONS DISSERTATIONSDISSERTATIONSDISSERTATIONS Aalto University publication series DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS 5/2011 Web Application User Interface Technologies Mikko Pohja Doctoral dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Science in Technology to be presented with due permission of the School of Science for public examination and debate in Auditorium T2 at the Aalto University School of Science (Espoo, Finland) on the 4th of February 2011 at 12 noon. Aalto University School of Science Department of Media Technology Supervisor Professor Petri Vuorimaa Instructor Professor Petri Vuorimaa Preliminary examiners Professor Tommi Mikkonen, Tampere University of Technology, Finland D.Sc. Kari Systä, Nokia Research Center, Finland Opponent PhD, Research Director Fabio Paternò, Institute of the National Research Council of Italy Aalto University publication series DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS 5/2011 © Mikko Pohja ISBN 978-952-60-4011-0 (pdf) ISBN 978-952-60-4010-3 (printed) ISSN-L 1799-4934 ISSN 1799-4942 (pdf) ISSN 1799-4934 (printed) Aalto Print Helsinki 2011 The dissertation can be read at http://lib.tkk.fi/Diss/ Publication orders (printed book): [email protected] Abstract Aalto University, P.O. Box 11000, FI-00076 Aalto www.aalto.fi Author Mikko Pohja Name of the doctoral dissertation Web Application User Interface Technologies Publisher School of Science Unit Department of Media Technology Series Aalto University publication series DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS 5/2011 Field of research Web Technologies Manuscript submitted 24.08.2010 Manuscript revised 17.01.2011 Date of the defence 04.02.2011 Language English Monograph Article dissertation (summary + original articles) Abstract The World Wide Web has expanded from a huge information storage repository into a worldwide application platform. Web applications have several benefits compared to desktop applications. An application can be used anywhere from any system and device, which means that only one version is needed, they do not need to be installed and developers can modify running applications. Despite all the benefits of the Web, web applications are suffering because they are developed using the same technologies as the static documents on the Web. Some of these web technologies are outdated and were not originally designed for the complex use cases of the modern applications to which they are now applied. For instance, HTML forms comprise the main interaction of an application, despite not having been designed to describe complex and interactive UIs. Another example is HTTP communication on the Web, which always requires client initiative and is too restrictive for dynamic web applications. Additionally, new usage contexts have brought with them new requirements for web applications, which are no longer used only via Graphical User Interfaces. Recently, several parties have developed specialized technologies for web application development. These solutions are not only minor additions to the existing technologies, but also new technologies. The goal of this thesis is to analyze the advanced web technologies and propose improvements to the technologies and architecture where applicable. The technologies are evaluated against a large set of requirements. The aim of the evaluation is two-fold. The first part is to select a technology on which to base the further improvements, and the second is to identify the deficiencies of the current solutions. The improvements focus on the developers' point-of-view. Based on the evaluation, this thesis proposes certain improvements related to multimodal interaction, server push, and remote UI updates. It also discusses software that supports the improvements and XML-based web technologies. Finally, the improvements are evaluated against the requirements and compared to other solutions. Keywords User Interfaces, Web Technologies, UIDL, XForms ISBN (printed) 978-952-60-4010-3 ISBN (pdf) 978-952-60-4011-0 ISSN-L 1799-4934 ISSN (printed) 1799-4934 ISSN (pdf) 1799-4942 Pages 180 Location of publisher Espoo Location of printing Helsinki Year 2011 The dissertation can be read at http://lib.tkk.fi/Diss/ Tiivistelmä Aalto-yliopisto, PL 11000, 00076 Aalto www.aalto.fi Tekijä Mikko Pohja Väitöskirjan nimi Web-sovellusten käyttöliittymäteknologiat Julkaisija Perustieteiden korkeakoulu Yksikkö Mediatekniikan laitos Sarja Aalto-yliopiston julkaisusarja VÄITÖSKIRJAT 5/2011 Tutkimusala Web-teknologiat Käsikirjoituksen pvm 24.08.2010 Korjatun käsikirjoituksen pvm 17.01.2011 Väitöspäivä 04.02.2011 Kieli Englanti Monografia Yhdistelmäväitöskirja (yhteenveto-osa + erillisartikkelit) Tiivistelmä Web ei ole enää pelkkä suuri tietovarasto kuten aikaisemmin, vaan myös maailmanlaajuinen sovellusalusta. Web-sovelluksilla on useita etuja työpöytäsovelluksiin nähden. Sovelluksen käyttäminen ei ole sidottu tiettyyn paikkaan, järjestelmään tai laitteeseen. Käyttäjän ei tarvitse erikseen asentaa sovelluksia ja kehittäjä voi muokata käytössä olevaa versiota sovelluksesta. Eduista huolimatta sovelluskehitystä haittaavat siinä käytettävät teknologiat. Sovelluksia kehitetään pääasiassa samoilla tekniikoilla kuin staattisia web-sivuja. Osa kyseisistä tekniikoista on vanhentunut, eikä niitä ole edes suunniteltu käytettävän sovelluksissa. Esimerkiksi sovellusten vuorovaikutus toteutetaan HTML-lomakkeilla, vaikkei niitä ole suunniteltu kuvaamaan monimutkaisia ja vuorovaikutteisia