Constellation Energy has chosen Tibco Software's General Interface as the asynchronous communications, javascript, and XML (AJAX) development platform for building Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) to enhance its customers' user experience.

Constellation Energy was looking to reduce its overall deployment and IT support costs by transitioning several of the company's traditional client/server applications to faster-to-install, easier-to-manage Web-based applications within its corporate portal. One requirement was that the move be made while still maintaining the rich usability of the older client/server solutions within the thin browser-based interface of new Internet applications. So, the company considered AJAX.

"We wanted a product that was dependable and integrated seamlessly with our existing Tibco solutions," said Jeff Johnson, manager of Corporate Applications, Constellation Energy. "With Tibco General Interface, we got a mature, enterprise-tested product that would have immediate benefits for the company and our customers."

Tibco General Interface gives browser-based applications the features and performance characteristics typically seen in the user interfaces of traditional client/server-based applications, Tibco maintains. Leveraging the AJAX capabilities present in common Web browsers, Tibco General Interface allows developers to easily deploy RIAs without dependency on applets, plug-ins or installation of client/server frameworks.

"Tibco General Interface helps companies easily make the move to RIAs without taking on the typical high labor costs required to do so," said Ram Menon (pictured), senior vice president, Worldwide Marketing, Tibco. "Constellation Energy wanted to add AJAX functionality with a minimal amount of hand-coding, which would be required when using less-mature development tools. This is why they turned to Tibco General Interface."