> Web development is, for the most part, write-once run-anywhere, from an x86-on-steroids desktop PC to a pocket-sized RISC device (even for people with very small pockets)
I find it shocking how so many old-timers fail to see how amazing the web is in terms of being the first de-facto cross-platform cross-media technology, and instead lament the loss of powerful proprietary GUI toolkits. I mean sure portable HTML/CSS/Javascript is incredibly difficult and it's full of warts, but it's pretty minor considering the accessibility of something that can be accessed on any device running any OS, by people with any disability. Yeah, so the win32 API was more elegant for throwing up a toolbar GUI, big fucking whoop; it's like Louis CK's bit about complaining about the Internet on an airplane, total blindness to the accomplishments in front of us.
I like the promise of the web, but many web apps just feel janky compared to their native counterparts, much like Java never felt quite right compared to native apps. But this time, nobody seems to really care, because it runs in the browser.
Plus, re-inventing things in the browser passes for innovation ("ssh client in JS!") around here.
Whether people care or not is a moot point though. The fact is that web standards continue to evolve whereas GUI toolkits can never become truly cross-platform and installation-free. The web is never best-of-breed, but its advantages are unassailable.
I find it shocking how so many old-timers fail to see how amazing the web is in terms of being the first de-facto cross-platform cross-media technology, and instead lament the loss of powerful proprietary GUI toolkits. I mean sure portable HTML/CSS/Javascript is incredibly difficult and it's full of warts, but it's pretty minor considering the accessibility of something that can be accessed on any device running any OS, by people with any disability. Yeah, so the win32 API was more elegant for throwing up a toolbar GUI, big fucking whoop; it's like Louis CK's bit about complaining about the Internet on an airplane, total blindness to the accomplishments in front of us.