I have shared this at speaking engagements on other topics over the
years. When windows and mac took the Xerox window technology and created
the replacement for "DOS" as it was known there was a reason it worked.
Along the same time there was also a core group of "assembly"
programmers that thought everything should be done in the lowest fastest
level possible.
Thoughts from a developer who has seen many generations of technology
mature.
1. The interface belongs to the user, and that is who we write our
apps for primarily. If we can make it easier for the developer to
create and maintain these apps the true purpose of the app will be
achieved. (The true purpose is user interaction, not enterprise.
Enterprise is a concern, not the primary goal. Therefore we cannot
or at least should not replace our primary goals with necessary
secondary concerns.)
2. Apple, Amiga, Atari (lol, just realized those were all companies
with A names) had machines with better functionality than Windows
PCs. They were missing essential business solutions that Microsoft
provided. It is true that we as developers want certain
"essentials". Yet, the applications are written for users.
Perhaps we ought to look at things like Adobe AIR and how that
relates to jQuery. With AIR you write the app once and deploy it
to Linux, Mac or Windows as a desktop application. This would
eliminate the need for large bandwidth issues. It's the next wave
of internet connected applications. If it's enterprise then it's
not random customers hitting the site. Installing a package in
technology like AIR is the enterprise solution of the future.
3. As someone else said, plugins aren't part of the core. So if
jQuery adds plugins that are cool that is great. My concept is not
to create heavy but moderate plugins that work with back end coded
pages. I agree that EXT could be to heavy in many cases. So rather
than looking at extreme all or nothing solutions perhaps there
should be some middle of the road solutions also.
4. Not all business applications are "enterprise" apps. Some times
there are business apps where they have let someone in IT or
someone who is a web designer and wants to try something in the
programmer side of things take on a project. It would be a shame
if jQuery provided everything they needed to end the promise of
doing more work like that in the company. That is where EXT
shines. The boss will love what he gets for an end product. We
need to be careful that we realize not everyone can do an
"original work". Learning dom to do a good job for the first
project it is needed is a bad idea.
Summary:
* Apps are for users, the interface is key
* Enterprise is a concern, but not to the exclusion of the primary
goals (scale shouldn't replace primary goals)
* AIR or some other technology is the right way to do enterprise,
resolves majority of scale issues
* Not all business is enterprise. We need solutions that help
business on the SOHO level also. In fact we brag about when we are
used by an enterprise. Yet, every one of these technologies
started in a non-scale solution. (Or at least became popular
without a scale solution.) AND... the majority of users will be a
non-scale solution on the level of a mega enterprise that is.
* AND... yes, the still need to serve the enterprise. (Before
someone missed that I still agree with that point.)
