On 2020-08-14, Deloptes wrote:
> Poprocks wrote:
>
>> Indeed.  In a way --- although it seems to have happened historically by
>> accident --- I think the original idea starting with Netscape Navigator
>> (2.x I believe, but certainly by 3.0) to have JavaScript do some
>> light-duty client-side capabilities, and have Java do some heavier-duty
>> web-based applications through Java applets, was on the right track.
>>
>
> It was lack of other options. I guess now with HTML5 things will change and
> yes pages will be like application (or are already) and all of those JAVA
> applets or flash apps will be replaced sooner or later. Older HTML did not
> offer too much room for interactive pages. I guess this is why applets and
> Flash was there, but AFAIK it is already depreciated and you will do it in
> HTML5 (may be with JavaScript) with some engine in the background either
> locally or remotely - I have seen both so far.

I was extremely excited when I read several years ago that HTML5 would
video playback without requiring Flash video or other plugins.  I
thought it would be a great win for desktop Linux, since we would then
finally be able to experience 2D hardware-accelerated video, which we
had had with native applications for many years ("xv" video output,
anyone?), without relying on proprietary technology dependent upon
companies (*cough* Adobe/Macromedia *cough*) to be nice enough to
provide this to us.

Unfortunately, the reality has been different; only as of very recently
do we have support for hardware-accelerated HTML5 video, and what we do
have is in its infancy and largely experimental in nature.

That is not to say I'm against open standards such as HTML5; I'm all for
it.  I just wish the reality had played out as nicely as the promise.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05