For companies that compete with Microsoft, HTML5 is almost the Holy Grail, offering the ability to run applications regardless of the underlying operating system. While the browser isn’t more important than operating system today, Google this week firmly suggested it is only a matter of time.
We’ve heard that story before. Java was supposed to raise apps above the level of the operating system, offering cross-platform “write once, run everywhere” applications that would break the coupling between an application and a specific operating system. Proponents predicted Windows would become less important with the rise of Java apps.
While Java has accomplished a great deal, it’s potential as an OS-killer has not been realized. HTML5 has a better shot.
At its developer conference this week, Google demonstrated HTML5 applications support inside future versions of its Chrome browser and the future Android 2.0 operating system. Mozilla executives also promised HTML5 support inside the forthcoming Firefox 3.5 browser.
Microsoft, meanwhile, has announced plans to support HTML5, but appears to be keeping it as arm’s length, at least for now.
Let’s not forget that the web browser is one of the most common vectors for attack now. How does adding even more complexity to the browser, including a crap pile of redundant functionality that is already in the OS help matters.
What about Apple? Will they support HTML5 on the iPhone?
And what piece of code in my computer or phone is going to manage the file system, memory and time slice the CPU cycles?
I hate microsoft as much as the next guy, but we are a long way off from this happening anywhere beyond the cell phone. Corporate apps, video editing, and other compute intensive software is not going to want to pay the overhead required by running in a browser, esp. if it requires Java.
I don’t trust the SaaS model. It gives the software companies the golden tap.
I thought the mantra for cloud computing was we will run it on our server. All you have to do is show up.
This is going to be running on my machine. It might not matter as much whose browser but then again it might. I can see getting locked into a single browser version in order to run some half backed web site I just have to run in order to do my job.
#2:
Yeah, but this also means that you can save an app by doing ‘save page as’ in the browser.
Not that all the apps will be able to run offline, but some will.
yeah, right, sure. it will kill hardware too!
The GoogleIO keynote is causing the press on this (http://bit.ly/Xb1KT). The iPhone 3, Android, and Palm Pre will all support HTML 5. Safari supports most of HTML 5 now and Firefox with 3.5. The other big thing to look at are the Javascript engines.
As for cloud, all these players will support offline caching of the app and data for non-connected use (like GMail labs does now).
Microsoft “hopes” to support HTML 5.
“We’ve heard that story before. Java was supposed to raise apps above the level of the operating system, offering cross-platform “write once, run everywhere” applications that would break the coupling between an application and a specific operating system. Proponents predicted Windows would become less important with the rise of Java apps.”
Yes, we heard that story before… which is when Microsoft “supported” Java by adding all sorts of Windows-only code into their version – and Sun had to fight in court to get the “Java” stickers off of the Microsoft boxes.
Microsoft had already cut off Netscape’s air supply, for the same reason… the threat of the browser becoming the OS.
I’m curious to see if the third time is a charm.
It’s not going to do everything but a lot of alpha geeks who I respect are pretty keen on it. Personally I think it’s got legs and Google has a shot now that they’ve moved off Python as the only language for their app engine. Of course we’ll just have to wait and see.
Of course I’m hoping it does well, if I have to write another .NET app I’ll stick needles in my eyes.
One thing I didn’t mention, if you watch GoogleIO keynote click the right arrow to move to second part of the presentation. The first part is really bad graphics and music.
Java… write once, run poorly everywhere.
I put Java in the same bucket as communism and Esperanto. All sound nice on paper, but not so well in practice.
Java… write once, run poorly everywhere.
I put Java in the same bucket as communism and Esperanto. All sound nice on paper, but not so well in practice.
Oh great
Another version of Exploder that won’t be standards compliant.
BGR
I’d like to run apps in tabs instead of windows.
#5 for the win!
#9 nominated for 2009’s funniest/concise/truthful statement seen on this blog.
What a non story. No half baked web software will ever replace the OS. Because 99% of computer users need Winblows to guide their ignorant asses to HTML5.
Mobile computing is just a side note, cause once you get home, are going to continue to Twitter on your iphone, or boot up the laptop?
The game I am currently playing is Dawn Of War II. Is there any chance in Hell that a cutting edge 3D shoot em up could be written in a web based OS?
Don’t sell the MS stock based on this story.
Don
Again, it’s all about ownership and control of the data and the environment that manipulates that data. By adding yet another layer of abstraction between the machine and the data that controls the storage (ownership) of that data, the less in control I am of that data. More function in the browser doesn’t buy me more control in an offline environment, therefore I don’t want to make the effort to place all my digital goodies in the hands of my browser (ie someone else).
By the way, cell phones are for placing phone calls, not buying or selling stocks or giving away my location via GPS, or listening to music. Gah!
Let’s test the theory. Wipe the OS from your machine, fire up your browser… Oops!
My Uncle made a great statement…
“Interesting article, but it doesn’t consider the fact that Oracle now owns java…..what will Oracle do with it????”
#16 Commodore 64
“By the way, cell phones are for placing phone calls, not buying or selling stocks or giving away my location via GPS, or listening to music. Gah!”
And sex toys are “novelty devices.” You sound grizzled.
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