Essential Pack offers a collection of Silverlight-based controls that follow the RIA principle, enabling users to visualize data within their browsers. These controls share much similarity with ASP.NET controls, feature properties alike to Chart or GridView controls.
The Ria controls offer several advantages over their standard counterparts. Firstly, they provide a rich UI, meaning that app functionality can include anything that could be implemented in a desktop application. For example, the controls support drag and drop, sliders for changing data, smoothing, transparency, and more. Users get a responsive and modern browsing experience.
Secondly, the Ria controls offer shorter response time because the browser doesn't need to contact the server on every operation. This contrasts with standard web applications that call for a new page every time they need something new. Consequently, users enjoy a more responsive application with shorter wait times between actions.
Thirdly, Ria controls help to relieve the web server of tasks, since they shift most of the computing tasks to the client-side. This frees up server resources for more important tasks and allows it to serve more client sessions at the same time. The computing balance is thus better distributed through the network.
Fourthly, Ria controls support asynchronous interactions, enabling the client-side to interact with the server in the background, without interrupting the user's browsing experience. This means that Ria developers can move data between the client-side and the server without making the user wait. As a result, Ria controls can create an illusion of a desktop application where users don't have to wait for responses.
Finally, Ria controls reduce network traffic by only requesting the part of data that is necessary in each interaction. By deciding what data is needed from the server, the network load is reduced, leading to improved overall performance.
In conclusion, the ASP.NET Ria Essential Pack offers the ultimate toolset for enhancing the frontend of any software. With its rich UI, fast response times, server relief, asynchronous interactions, and reduced network traffic, the Ria controls are a valuable addition to any developer's toolbox.
Version 1.11: N/A