It amazes me how relatively crude the combination of css, javascript, dhtlm, and now Ajax really are as a development platform for dynamic web based interfaces. That is, especially when you compare these technologies to the IDEs used to build thick client interfaces.I’m not going to go ranting into specifics but I’m sure all of you have you’re favorite gotchas, tricks, browser hacks, and prized workarounds.
I was happy to see the annoucement of some form of standard IBM spearheads AJAX tools at Eclipse for plugging in Ajax platforms into eclipse.
Then again, my prediction is that both Microsoft and Google (and possibly others) are moving toward a thicker client browser. The development languages may still be javascript/css/ajax, but they could build a higher layered UI library directly into the browser. If they do this property, it would make it much easier to build web based thick client business application that use the browser as a front end. If anyone chooses to do this, I really hope they make this a standard and open source library.
Until then, it’s back to tinkering!
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