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The reasons to stick with DHTML/JS as a "thick client" development platform are simple: decent, free development tools, the ability to interpose proxies and app

by rcoder 17y ago

The reasons to stick with DHTML/JS as a "thick client" development platform are simple: decent, free development tools, the ability to interpose proxies and application middleware between the client and server transparently, and a very, very large install base for the client runtime. That being said, I share much of your amusement at/disdain for the attitude of "OMG, look at this brand new thing I have made that is completely different from all those old things!"

moe 17y ago
I'm not sure about these reasons. decent, free development tools Well, you can have these for any mature platform. Be it QT, Flex or even Java. I'm not sure what's more decent about the HTML toolchain. The often cited FireBug is, to me, merely an emergency bandaid that makes development at least possible but still far from enjoyable. the ability to interpose proxies and application middleware between the client and server transparently There's nothing stopping any fat-client to speak HTTP. You don't need to a browser for that. and a very, very large install base for the client runtime. I'd say installation base is a red herring when talking about cross-platform apps but I'll give you that "instant-on" is an argument. For that I'd point to Air, which can run hybrid in and outside the browser. I'm not arguing that HTML doesn't have it's place, mind you. But the extent to which it is abused nowadays is absurd.
- shabda 17y ago
  > and a very, very large install base for the client runtime. You are underetimating this. For evrything else, (air, java, Qt, C#) I have to start a new app. My firefox is always on.
  - johnpaulett 17y ago
    In most cases, we are just swapping some startup time (for java, qt, etc.) for download time in the heavy web 2.0 apps.
omouse 17y ago
Tools for developing Qt and Java applications are also free and are much much better than anything that has been created for DHTML/JS so far. Java too has a very large install base. It is a shame that SUN didn't do much to promote it but you can still take advantage of the fact that many many people have the JVM installed.

by rcoder 17y ago

moe 17y ago

I'm not sure about these reasons. decent, free development tools Well, you can have these for any mature platform. Be it QT, Flex or even Java. I'm not sure what's more decent about the HTML toolchain. The often cited FireBug is, to me, merely an emergency bandaid that makes development at least possible but still far from enjoyable. the ability to interpose proxies and application middleware between the client and server transparently There's nothing stopping any fat-client to speak HTTP. You don't need to a browser for that. and a very, very large install base for the client runtime. I'd say installation base is a red herring when talking about cross-platform apps but I'll give you that "instant-on" is an argument. For that I'd point to Air, which can run hybrid in and outside the browser. I'm not arguing that HTML doesn't have it's place, mind you. But the extent to which it is abused nowadays is absurd.

shabda 17y ago
> and a very, very large install base for the client runtime. You are underetimating this. For evrything else, (air, java, Qt, C#) I have to start a new app. My firefox is always on.
- johnpaulett 17y ago
  In most cases, we are just swapping some startup time (for java, qt, etc.) for download time in the heavy web 2.0 apps.

omouse 17y ago

Tools for developing Qt and Java applications are also free and are much much better than anything that has been created for DHTML/JS so far. Java too has a very large install base. It is a shame that SUN didn't do much to promote it but you can still take advantage of the fact that many many people have the JVM installed.