On 10 Nov 2005, at 00:38, Dan Shafer wrote:
I almost labeled this post off-topic since our purpose here is to
discuss how to use Revolution. But I decided on balance that it
affects everyone here, so I left off the [OT].
I've just posted a blog entry at http://www.eclecticity.com/.
3c66aaec that I believe should be of interest to everyone who is in
the programming universe today. I've been leaning in this direction
for years, drawn strongly to it for the past few months, and have
now tipped over the edge. Some will think I'm over the edge,
alright, but perhaps not in the way I intended.
My prediction -- based on a lot of evidence and clinched by two
leaked Microsoft memos that you really need to read (they're
indirectly linked in my blog entry) -- is that the days of the
desktop app are indeed finally numbered. At best, we will see
desktops reduced to being containers for ultra-thin clients and
specialized Internet browsing tools while *everything else* runs as
a (probably ad-supported) Web service.
Yeah, I know. You've heard this before. And there's a lot of
skepticism here and elsewhere on the Net. But Ray Ozzie's no idiot
and Microsoft's not ignorant or stupid (whatever else they may well
be).
Comments welcome, though I'd appreciate it if you'd register for my
blog (it's free) and post them there even if you choose to echo
them here. This issue is much bigger than Rev but it affects
everyone on this list, IMNSHO.
Sort of Dan :)
Totally agree about the importance of Web Services - they will take
all comers by storm over the next 2 years - read my lips :) However,
as a prediction I am betting (my work at least) that you miss
something. Web browsers suck - the idea of a universal client that
can display and present every conceivable user application is daft.
Standards based web services, using xHTMl, XML, or other even more
simple to parse data formats - yes. A rich variety of "browsers" =
clients that use this data and display desktop grade interfaces -
yes. But standard HTML browser based thin clients - no.
What you will see is more "plugins" for Browsers - the main advantage
of FireFox. What you will see is many other "browsers" emerging to
take advantage of these web services - blog tools, outliners, chat
clients, video browsers. Some may be based on embedded browser
technology - web toolkits and Mozilla, some written in their own
languages - python, ruby, java (forget php) - the various languages
beginning with C. What you will see is more "zero install" clients -
think java applets and downloadable Rev stacks.
Regarding Revolution - I am sure that a number of us from this list
are very hopeful that Rev can position itself as a premier tool fro
creating these clients. To do this - well? Firstly, I'd emphasise
some things that maybe are not stressed high enough up the request list:
- cross platform video support - think vlc?
- placing Rev in the context of large open source projects -
think web services and development frameworks.
- a real market for developer community contributed web services
and zero-instal components - think security, digital signatures and
certificates, based on an existing open and strong online community
(you don't build these things overnight - thanks Scott).
- Unicode
The block I have is the issue of JavaScript - can Rev do without a
Javascript interpreter in this world? You can sort of use the open
scripting architecture on Macs to script Revolution using Javascript
- but this is not cross-platform and probably flaky - I only did
brief testing a couple of years ago... I think the answer is "yes" -
but maybe it is "no"?
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