> Software components were the latest buzzword, as “Web 2.0” is today. Experts predicted that the application would disappear, with users selecting from palette

> Software components were the latest buzzword, as “Web 2.0” is today. Experts predicted that the application would disappear, with users selecting from palettes of functional components. Huge investments went into frameworks such as OpenDoc (backed by IBM, Novell, and Apple) and Microsoft, with its OLE. You know, I wasn't involved at the time but I understand why the experts would have thought this. And perhaps it wasn't too off base, we just don't recognize the reality because 'functional components' turned out to actually be, like, npm packages or something.