No denying there was lots of breakage back then, and you would have to go back to the late 90's to find the days when Powerbuilder and VB were new. Developers

No denying there was lots of breakage back then, and you would have to go back to the late 90's to find the days when Powerbuilder and VB were new. Developers making mobile apps don't assume the browser is the platform. Developers making games don't assume the browser is the platform (even though there are plenty of in-browser games), but it seems we don't question the browser for every other solution. All the recent development in sockets, channels, messaging, etc. has reopened the box of potential solutions for non-browser client server, IMHO.