Web programming tools (Dan Shafer)

[Chipp Walters]

> Yeah, wouldn't that be nice!  I seem to recall something on metacard.com
> about configuring MC as a helper application for a browser but
> that is not
> really what you mean, and its not as painless as flash.  But if you
> can convince your clients (or install it for them) then it could work
> potentially something like this, I think ..

> Someone posted an example called, I think, Hemingway.  Again, it is a link
> on their web page and again, a file is downloaded.  In this case it was
> a .exe file and if your browswer is configured to ask 'save this file or
> launch it' you say launch it, and it just runs.  it's a compiled mc ap.
> Wasn't that big.  (right? whoever posted that?) So you started off in the
> browser but then the application is in a separate window.  Apologies if
> I am not correctly explaining Hemingway, but the idea is still valid.

Hi, not Hemingway, but buttongadget (www.buttongadget.com) when installed
registers its' mime type (winXP only) and then when you click on a
buttonset, it auto downloads the stack to the PC, then launches the
buttongadget app and loads itself....just like a PDF or Flash, except
outside the browser.

One of the problems with a PC plugin - is that you have to cripple the MC
engine so much for security reasons, you lose a lot of the possible
functionality of the downloaded stack. For instance, the ButtonGadget app
couldn't operate because it allows file access -- you wouldn't be able to do
such a thing in a plugin without opening a HUGE security hole. At Altuit,
we've spent time doing security audits for very paranoid clients -- the MC
as generic plugin wouldn't pass. MC as client app would.

BTW, the reason ButtonGadget gets away with it is that the app and stacks
are password protected...and the app won't load 'bogus' stacks.

-Chipp