Active Platform
Encyclopedia
The Active Platform was the name of a development platform released by Microsoft
in the 90s for creating web applications and delivering them to a PC desktop environment
. The platform consisted of three parts: ActiveDesktop, which would use push technology
to deliver the web applications to the desktop; ActiveServer
, which would provide server side scripting; and ActiveX
, a set of technologies created to allow software components on different machines to communicate with each other using COM
and OLE
.
, and as challenges were developing from Microsoft's competitors. Blackbird promised to make web applications function more like those users were accustomed to on the desktop, by using distributed OLE
(Object Linking and Embedding) rather than HTML
markup. The project was soon scrapped, after Microsoft realized that there were performance problems and it became clear that HTML was gaining in popularity. Meanwhile, Netscape, Sun, Oracle and IBM (referred to as the "Gang of Four") proposed turning Java
into a similar type of distributed object platform that would form the basis of an Internet OS
which could compete with Windows. Such an OS would rely on web applications that were run through a browser and constructed using Java software components.
In response, Microsoft announced the Active Platform at their SiteBuilder conference in October 1996. ActiveDesktop at first was promised by Microsoft to run on any operating system, but only appeared in Windows, first through the Internet Explorer 4.0 release, and later in Windows 98. Active Server was based on IIS
3.0 and included Active Server Pages
, the Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM), Microsoft Transaction Server, and a new message queuing-based middleware. ActiveX was based on a number of technologies Microsoft had already developed for Windows. ActiveX controls were OLE based controls that could be embedded in web pages, applications, and on the desktop.
ActiveX became strongly criticized for security problems, and Microsoft later abandoned further development in favor of the .NET Framework
. ActiveDesktop was never widely used and disappeared in newer versions of Windows, the concept only later being readopted in the Windows Sidebar, which was added as a response to the Dashboard feature in Apple's OS X. ActiveServer was later harmonized with the .NET platform and a revamped version of ASP became known as ASP.NET
.
The Active Platform strategy became the center of a United States anti-trust suit
against Microsoft.
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
in the 90s for creating web applications and delivering them to a PC desktop environment
Desktop environment
In graphical computing, a desktop environment commonly refers to a style of graphical user interface derived from the desktop metaphor that is seen on most modern personal computers. These GUIs help the user in easily accessing, configuring, and modifying many important and frequently accessed...
. The platform consisted of three parts: ActiveDesktop, which would use push technology
Push technology
Push technology, or server push, describes a style of Internet-based communication where the request for a given transaction is initiated by the publisher or central server...
to deliver the web applications to the desktop; ActiveServer
Active Server Pages
Active Server Pages , also known as Classic ASP or ASP Classic, was Microsoft's first server-side script engine for dynamically-generated Web pages. Initially released as an add-on to Internet Information Services via the Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack Active Server Pages (ASP), also known as Classic...
, which would provide server side scripting; and ActiveX
ActiveX
ActiveX is a framework for defining reusable software components in a programming language-independent way. Software applications can then be composed from one or more of these components in order to provide their functionality....
, a set of technologies created to allow software components on different machines to communicate with each other using COM
Component Object Model
Component Object Model is a binary-interface standard for software componentry introduced by Microsoft in 1993. It is used to enable interprocess communication and dynamic object creation in a large range of programming languages...
and OLE
Object Linking and Embedding
Object Linking and Embedding is a technology developed by Microsoft that allows embedding and linking to documents and other objects. For developers, it brought OLE Control eXtension , a way to develop and use custom user interface elements...
.
History
The Active Platform strategy started to take shape after the cancellation of another Microsoft project, BlackbirdBlackbird (online platform)
Blackbird was the codename for an online content authoring platform developed by Microsoft in the mid-90s based on the concept of distributed OLE and meant as an alternative to HTML...
, and as challenges were developing from Microsoft's competitors. Blackbird promised to make web applications function more like those users were accustomed to on the desktop, by using distributed OLE
Object Linking and Embedding
Object Linking and Embedding is a technology developed by Microsoft that allows embedding and linking to documents and other objects. For developers, it brought OLE Control eXtension , a way to develop and use custom user interface elements...
(Object Linking and Embedding) rather than HTML
HTML
HyperText Markup Language is the predominant markup language for web pages. HTML elements are the basic building-blocks of webpages....
markup. The project was soon scrapped, after Microsoft realized that there were performance problems and it became clear that HTML was gaining in popularity. Meanwhile, Netscape, Sun, Oracle and IBM (referred to as the "Gang of Four") proposed turning Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
into a similar type of distributed object platform that would form the basis of an Internet OS
Internet OS
Internet operating system, or Internet OS, is a term used in the computer industry to refer to any type of operating system designed to run all of its applications and services through an Internet client, generally a web browser...
which could compete with Windows. Such an OS would rely on web applications that were run through a browser and constructed using Java software components.
In response, Microsoft announced the Active Platform at their SiteBuilder conference in October 1996. ActiveDesktop at first was promised by Microsoft to run on any operating system, but only appeared in Windows, first through the Internet Explorer 4.0 release, and later in Windows 98. Active Server was based on IIS
Internet Information Services
Internet Information Services – formerly called Internet Information Server – is a web server application and set of feature extension modules created by Microsoft for use with Microsoft Windows. It is the most used web server after Apache HTTP Server. IIS 7.5 supports HTTP, HTTPS,...
3.0 and included Active Server Pages
Active Server Pages
Active Server Pages , also known as Classic ASP or ASP Classic, was Microsoft's first server-side script engine for dynamically-generated Web pages. Initially released as an add-on to Internet Information Services via the Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack Active Server Pages (ASP), also known as Classic...
, the Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM), Microsoft Transaction Server, and a new message queuing-based middleware. ActiveX was based on a number of technologies Microsoft had already developed for Windows. ActiveX controls were OLE based controls that could be embedded in web pages, applications, and on the desktop.
ActiveX became strongly criticized for security problems, and Microsoft later abandoned further development in favor of the .NET Framework
.NET Framework
The .NET Framework is a software framework that runs primarily on Microsoft Windows. It includes a large library and supports several programming languages which allows language interoperability...
. ActiveDesktop was never widely used and disappeared in newer versions of Windows, the concept only later being readopted in the Windows Sidebar, which was added as a response to the Dashboard feature in Apple's OS X. ActiveServer was later harmonized with the .NET platform and a revamped version of ASP became known as ASP.NET
ASP.NET
ASP.NET is a Web application framework developed and marketed by Microsoft to allow programmers to build dynamic Web sites, Web applications and Web services. It was first released in January 2002 with version 1.0 of the .NET Framework, and is the successor to Microsoft's Active Server Pages ...
.
The Active Platform strategy became the center of a United States anti-trust suit
United States v. Microsoft
United States v. Microsoft was a set of civil actions filed against Microsoft Corporation pursuant to the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 Section 1 and 2 on May 8, 1998 by the United States Department of Justice and 20 U.S. states. Joel I. Klein was the lead prosecutor...
against Microsoft.