Seeing Google maps today helped me realise the power of the browser as a cross-platform development environment.  I believe that the combination of client side callbacks with DHTML and JavaScript dramatically reduce the need for Java Applets or ActiveX controls in web-based applications.

The problems usually levelled at browser-based applications are that they lack the responsiveness and rich interaction experience provided by traditional forms-based applications.   I think the Google apps (Google Suggest, GMail and now Google Maps) prove this point wrong.

I was in a discussion at work today where a colleague was arguing that any browser-based application requiring rich drag-and-drop and data entry grids would have to use ActiveX controls or Java applets.  However I think that developments over recent years in cross-browser support are showing that this kind of functionality can be achieved in the browser.

Here are some links that convinced me further:

• This amazing cross-browser JavaScript DHTML API, Drag & Drop for Images and Layers.  It's a 38KB file that supports drag and drop (including making the image semi-transparent while being dragged) and a whole range of other commands.
• The ability to retrieve new data into a web page without having to refresh described in this overview of the XML HTTP Request Object and its cross-browser support (all wrapped up nicely in ASP.NET 2.0's support for client side callbacks).  What makes me laugh is how this functionality was originally provided through the Microsoft XMLHTTP object from MSXML but Mozilla and Safari have copied it with an XMLHttpRequest object - who said that IE wasn't innovative?
• A range of commercial DHTML grids such as ActiveWidget's Grid 1.0, including this sample showing editing.

I can't wait to see more development around these technologies (I'd really love FreeTextBox to use client side callbacks to autosave my blog posts to save me from losing so many posts!).