RIA vs desktop application

1. 什么是RIA？
An RIA, or rich internet application, is a web application that behaves like a desktop application.

就是一个丰富多彩的互联网应用（application）。不同于一个普通的网站和传统意义的web应用，他的特点是与用户的易用性交互性更好，界面更优美，就像本地桌面应用一样，平滑。

普通的网站，只是注重内容和性能，并不注重页面美化的与用户的交互性。

2. 为什么要RIA？

软件的发布和更新更容易，网络的普及，以及带宽的提升，用户不需要安装任何软件。相对一般的web应用，更注重用户的交互性。

3.  JavaScript libraries, ICEfaces, Adobe Flash 4, Microsoft Silverlight, and now, HTML5， 已经统治了整个RIA 互联网应用。

The Future of RIAs

Are HTML5 apps the future of the internet? ? Not exclusively. As long as there are creative and innovative web developers out there who are driven to create something special, there will always be new technologies that can provide amazing things that HTML5 or any other web technology won’t be able to offer.

Creativity and innovation are the reasons why JavaScript libraries, ICEfaces, Flash, Silverlight, and HTML5 came into existence in the first place. The future of the web will be made up of many coexisting technologies, just like it is today.