A new Flow Engine based on SCXML has been included in MyMobileWeb platform. With this new implementation, the flow of any MyMobileWeb application could be defined in a declarative way by using the SCXML language. The main advantages of this approach are:
- legibility: the whole application flow is clearly visible by looking at the flow definition file(s)
- simplicity: users avoid the use of Java Event Handlers
- standards-based solution: SCXML is a W3C technology
- flexibility: SCXML is a generic State Machine Language, so it can be adapt to concrete use cases.
The new SCXML Flow Engine is already available in the Nightly Build. You can find further information about how to use it in the SCXML Getting Started wiki page.
We have been evaluating Mobile JSF an open source product intended to the development of mobile web applications, which has been recently released by Ericsson. The main conclusion is that it is a couple of light years behind MyMobileWeb. The most important limitations of Mobile JSF with respect to MyMobileWeb are:
- Mobile JSF’s device database contains only a minimal set of devices with a minimal set of properties. This fact has led us to the conclusion that Mobile JSF is not doing any kind of advanced content adaptation. They only send the correct markup to each device, but as we know, that is not enough. Remember that MyMobileWeb uses a bunch of properties to adapt to devices, the majority of them coming from WURFL.
- CSS Media Queries selection mechanisms are not as flexible as the style overriding mechanisms provided by MyMobileWeb. For instance, in MyMobileWeb, using style overriding, one can, very easily, to set up different layouts for different devices.
- Content selection based on CSS Media Queries is not efficient nor feasible in terms of bandwidth consumption. MyMobileWeb selects content at the server side which is far more efficient
- Automatic Pagination functionalities are not present in Mobile JSF
- Automatic Validations based on script on the client side are not supported by Mobile JSF
- The set of user interface components is very poor compared to MyMobileWeb’s
Conclusion: Mobile JSF is not an alternative to MyMobileWeb.
This version can be downloaded here.
This version can be downloaded here.
Requirements
- Have taken a two-day course (15 hours)
- Pass a written examination on the course contents containing 10 short questions
Regulations
- Students will have to develop a mobile accessible website/application that they will install at an Internet accessible address.
- If so required, the source code of the certification application shall be made available to the instructor for inspection.
- At the end of the course and after passing the examination, students shall have 60 calendar days to develop the application.
Functionalities to be developed to attain certification
An original (copies are not acceptable) fully operational, mobile accessible website, including at least the following functions:
- A login page with a logo enabling user authentication
- A home menu with access to different functions, including at least:
- The menu will have accelerator keys for each option.
- The menu will have a grid layout for the OpenWave emulator/browser.
- The menu shall have a vertical layout for other devices.
- A data search form that includes compulsory/optional select, entryfield, datefield controls, etc., with different accept types.
- A functionality requiring the use of the chainedmenu control
Additionally:
- The site should be displayed in at least two languages
- All screens should include a navigation bar with “Back” and “Home” links
- The user interface should be appropriately decorated with small images and have an attractive look and feel.
- Students should check for correct visualization of the certification application by the OpenWave version 7 emulators [1] and .mobi emulators [2].
Any questions about the certification exercise should be sent to mailto:mymobileweb-support@lists.morfeo-project.org
