5 ms·
What happened in the years leading up to 2005, or perhaps in 2005 specifically that caused this blackout? Where did all of the Java desktop developers go? Befo
by lacker 5y ago
What happened in the years leading up to 2005, or perhaps in 2005 specifically that caused this blackout? Where did all of the Java desktop developers go?
Before 2004, there was a much wider perception that web applications were fundamentally limited by their latency, and if you wanted a really rich, interactive user experience, like Winamp or Outlook, you had to make a desktop application.
Then Gmail launched in 2004 and Google Maps launched in 2005. At that point, if you wanted to make a web-enabled experience with a high-quality user interface, it became more and more clear that you should build the client side in HTML + JavaScript and the server side in whatever you wanted, possibly Java.
- shannah78 5y agoThat sounds about right to me. AJAX - or more broadly, what we call HTML5 could have been the gamechanger.
- jaywalk 5y agoWith the entire concept of AJAX, ironically enough, being developed by Microsoft to power Outlook Web Access.
- thrower123 5y agoMy recollection is that nobody really had wifi or cable internet before about 2005. Webapps over dialup was a complete non-starter, so you had to have desktop apps.
- dreamcompiler 5y agoGoogle Maps was the first widespread use of Ajax outside Microsoft, and its near-realtime interactivity blew people away. Prior to that, few developers believed this level of interactivity was possible. After Google Maps, everybody learned Ajax and a thousand interactive flowers bloomed.