First I would like to point out a few important facts: 1) I think that GWT is a fantastic idea, and that the developers deserve awards and ice cream and funny hats and should be carried through the streets. 2) I am just throwing this out as a discussion point. 3) I am not a classically trained programmer, and some of my terminology may be technically errant. Try to go with the overarching idea, and not just write me off because I thought REST meant nap time.
Now with that said, here's my question/thought. Isn't it time that we finally quit trying to warp the WWW into what we really want it to be, and come up with a new protocol all together? More specifically, isn't it time we made a "browser" that simply interprets the major programming languages - not riding on the WWW, but with it's own network protocols? It could exist like a stub on an individual client computer, run over it's own public port, and allow push AND pull communication. Programmers would need only to learn the proper communication methods, and could then write unbridled applications that are served directly to the clients, bypassing the rube-goldberg system of manipulation required to make it understandable by the CURRENT browsers. What if you could write a JAVA program where main() was served to the client "browser" and that's that. As cool as GWT is, when you step back and think about the actual structure, it's conjures (at least for me) images of popsicle sticks and duct tape. First you write the JAVA code, and add CSS styles. Those are combined and interpreted to Javascript which is optimized to several (currently used) browsers, which is in turn interpreted to HTML and displayed in the browser, which is based on a protocol that does not REALLY allow push communication. *** Again, nothing against the GWT developers. They did a fine job of contorting the existing structures to bring us closer to the goal. *** I realize that, as far as cloud computing is concerned, the GWT outcome is (almost) the same as what I'm talking about. You write JAVA code, and it gets displayed in the browsers. Who cares what torture it has to go through to get there. right? Looking back, it was oh so simple to get virtually everyone using the WWW. Would it be that hard to get the general public to accept a new internet that involves application browsers? And finally, the "browsers" could be made to understand multiple programming languages. It could basically be an omni- (and slightly upgraded for communication purposes) Virtual Machine. Here is my list of key points: 1) Cut out the middle man. No more Rube-Goldberg. 2) Allow Push communication. 3) No worries about upgraded or new browsers, and cross-browser compatibility. (The App-Browsers would just keep up with the current programming language upgrades.) 4) Use the layout tools that belong the the program language you are using. 5) Wouldn't it possibly even be more secure? (maybe not) 6) Let the kids play in the WWW kiddy pool. Let the real programmers swim in the deep end, away from the yellow water. That's all. I don't work for the W3C, and I've never once even spoken to Al Gore. I have no idea how to make something like this happen. I'm just interested in thoughts on the matter. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Google Web Toolkit" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/google-web-toolkit?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
