The rise of JavaScript mirrors somewhat the rise of C. Both C and JavaScript were initially tied to a particular platform (Unix and web browsers, respectively),

The rise of JavaScript mirrors somewhat the rise of C. Both C and JavaScript were initially tied to a particular platform (Unix and web browsers, respectively), both languages rose to prominence because of the dominance of their platform, and then both languages springboarded to transcend the platform. Their technical merit did not matter much, as long as they were good enough. So today we see JavaScript being promoted as a first-class language for servers (node.js) and desktop apps (Windows 8, WebOS) when it's so obviously ill-suited to both tasks. I suppose the thinking is that the strong tool support and pool of developers already familiar with the language make up for its technical failings. It's distressing to see carefully crafted languages like C# being shouldered aside to make room for technically inferior ones, like an unqualified rich kid using daddy's connections to get a job. But in practical terms it may not matter much, as the APIs are more important than the language. Anyways, the web calibrates user expectations down way low - heck, half of the sites I visit are trying to mislead me in some way, and quality can be dialed down when users can't demand their money back. This is a recipe for just awful software, but it's possible to break through that by building something obviously better. Remember how unappealing the so called "sweet solution" for the iPhone was, compared to native apps? Rock solid, reliable programs with a great user experience are a joy to use, and that sort of program can only be built using native APIs.