Hello,
Rory Blyth wrote-up a blog story titled "Microsoft
should drop XAML like a two-dollar herpes-infested
whore" that hails and defends Microsoft's world
domination scheme that tries to kill off the web with
a single OS upgrade.
Rory writes:
Ever since the PDC, I've been hearing stuff like
this about XAML:
- Why didn't Microsoft run with XHTML, SVG, CSS,
XSL-FO, XUL instead of XAML? Why did they create a
brand new markup language?
- Why doesn't Microsoft switch to XHTML, SVG, CSS,
XSL-FO, XUL instead of XAML?
..
All I have to say is this: Are you completely out of
your freaking skull?
I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on XHTML,
SVG, CSS, XSL-FO, XUL, but I don't need to be in this
case.
Take XUL, for instance. I've encountered people
who've suggested that XUL be used in the place of
XAML, and it blows my mind.
The first reaction I have is that the person making
the suggestion hasn't:
1. Used XAML
2. Used Longhorn
3. Read a three minute XAML 101 tutorial
4. Seriously considered what problems XUL would solve
- in other words, why, in terms of technical merit, it
should be used
It drives me nuts because the suggestion is
political. Screw the fact that XAML is the perfect
hand for a Longhorn shaped glove - it isn't open
source, Mozilla something, BSD this and that, and so
on.
I'm not saying that XUL is bad - I've used some
kick-ass apps that take advantage of XUL. But, XUL has
its own uses in its own domain, and that domain isn't
the one currently handled by XAML.
Then, beyond the issue of a complete and total lack
of a good technical reason to switch to XHTML, SVG,
CSS, XSL-FO, XUL, think about what's being suggested:
Rip out XAML and retrofit the system with XHTML,
SVG, CSS, XSL-FO, XUL
All Microsoft cheerleading that I do aside, you
should be spanked, long and hard, and preferably with
a porcupine that's been coated in cyanide.
Just because you don't like the fact that Microsoft
created a new markup language, you want to rip it out
and replace it with something else.
Did you stop for even a moment to consider what a
monumental task that would be? Why don't you just ask
for someone to repaint the Empire State Building? Or
have it moved a block over? Or transported to Sweden?
For crying out loud, why don't you just ask for the
pancake in the middle of the stack?
XAML, my dear friend, my dear future gas-pumper of
America friend, is a real language at this point. It's
in its infancy, but the birth is quite over, the
language was born a while back, and it’s taking its
first few steps.
I have an idea to give you some perspective: Do you
have any young children? What do you think it would
take to flip-flop their genders at this point? Has it
always bothered you that Timmy turned out a boy? Why
don't you just fix that?
Finally, let's just think about the arrogance of the
suggestion.
I want to rip XUL out of Mozilla and replace it with
XAML simply because XUL isn't a Microsoft product -
how does that make you feel?
Well, Roy clearly misses the point. The point is
that only together can we create a rich internet for
everyone.
If you ignore all open royality-free formats such as
XHTML, SVG, CSS, XSL-FO, SVG, XUL, XForms and so on
and replace it with an all-in-one Windows 2009-only
hairball the Microsoft politburo will be in for a
little surprise.
First, who's going to pay US$200+ in 2008 for a
Windows license if you can get a Linux+Wine combo for
free? Don't you love the free market and competition?
Second, if you try to kill off all open
royality-free standards and refuse to work together
with the Free World who will help you once your
fortune turns?
Full story @
http://neopoleon.com/blog/posts/3350.aspx
- Gerald
PS: For more comments on Roy's rant you might wonna
read the comments added to Robert Scoble's (aka The
Scobleizer) blog story titled "Rory takes on 'XAML
should be XUL' evangelists" online @
http://radio.weblogs.com/0001011/2004/02/11.html#a6517
PPS: You're also more than welcome to post your own
comments to the xul-talk mailinglist.
PPPS: Roy, if you happen to stumble onto this XUL News
Wire story write-up. Here's a question for a future
rant:
* Why doesn't Microsoft work together with mere
mortals to create a rich internet for everyone?
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