They were trying to solve both enterprise integration and user app deployment. In another example of "worse is better", HTTP/REST (ish) for the former and brow

They were trying to solve both enterprise integration and user app deployment. In another example of "worse is better", HTTP/REST (ish) for the former and browsers for the latter won. Just so much easier and good enough. That browsers and HTTP were the same "platform" of course helped. COM/DCOM/SOAP/CORBA and others were just way way too much work. Relatedly, nobody really does REST as Roy F initially defined, which is now referred to as HATEOS. Also too much work. If you haven't read the Worse is Better paper, definitely worth it. Top 5 all time.