Today's on HTML5, browsers and the Future

[Frinavale]

(Edit: I replied to this thread: IE now a Minor Browser but realized my response is a new topic so I split it off into it's own thread.)

With personal devices like cell phones, tablets etc. becoming more popular, cross platform development is going to become an issue because of the cost involved.

For example, my company wants to create a mobile application that allows the user to interact with the systems that we sell. In order to reach the people using mobile devices, we would have to create an application for each operating system that these devices support:

• To create the application for Apple devices, we have to have a developer who has knowledge in Objective C and we have to purchase an Apple computer to do the development on.
• To create the application for the Windows phone/tablets, the developer has to have knowledge of Silverlight and we have to install a Windows operating system for development purposes.
• To create an application for the Android operating system, the developer has to have knowledge of Java.
• For BlackBerry devices... I'm not even sure what's required for the developer to accomplish this.

We have to develop the same application in each environment with a different code base. While the design (business rules etc) can be done once... we need separate code implementation for each environment that we want to target. We also need experts and equipment to actually create the applications for each environment... and we need to maintain all of the applications.

All of this adds up to time and money.

HTML is a cross platform technology that lets you develop applications without having to deal with the costs and issues that I just described.

Using HTML to implement our applications, our developers just need to be familiar with how to develop applications using this technology and we will have 1 code base to develop and maintain rather than multiple code bases.

This will save the company time and money.

HTML is a great technology to use to reach all users in every environment... and with HTML5, the types of applications that we can create are way better than what we could create with HTML4.

The only thing is that browsers are used run web applications.

If more applications start shifting towards HTML because of it's cross platform appeal, then the browsers that users and developers choose are going to start shifting towards browsers that support the technologies that the applications require.

While the discussion about browsers tends to go along the same lines as "what programming language is best"... I have to say that IE has a lot of improvement to do in order to keep up with the needs of users.

Microsoft is currently really pushing HTML5 applications. I think they realize the problems with platform dependent applications and have decided to really open up. While I don't care how many users use what browser, I have a very strong feeling that Microsoft isn't going to ignore parts of the technology that they are so diligently promoting. I think it's still early (the specifications are still being worked out) and that every browser needs time to implement the features in HTML5.

I envision HTML5 becoming the technology of future application development.

Mind you I envisioned web applications being the way of the future in college... it's taking a lot longer than I thought, but it's catching on.

Maybe personal operating systems are going to start becoming obsolete and web browser's are going to take over! We'll revert back to a time when the devices are "dumb terminals" connecting into the cloud! They just won't be as dumb as before and they're going to look a lot cooler... :)

[Niheel]

From a practical business view, it's better to use one standard over multiple different platforms such as iOS, android, win. There's development cost savings, there's maintenance savings and wider talent pool to source from. I agree with you HTML5 has a bright future and those who start using HTML5 across browsers multiple devices will enjoy the benefits later on.

Even with the complexities of different browsers it's still easier to use custom style sheets then mess with different application languages for devices.

Better browsers, faster bandwidth, increased security and cloud infrastructure should help push HTML5 as the front end to a lot of future applications.

[drhowarddrfine]

What goes around comes around. We've been able to do all that with *nix for decades, that is, a bunch of dumb or smart terminals using applications over the 'net. On my frequent trips out of town, I often connected to my servers back at the office to look at documents with OpenOffice and using my laptop but without OO installed on the laptop. If necessary, I would even run different browsers through the office server as if everything was installed on my laptop.

To write native apps for mobile apps, you do need to learn the different languages and operating systems. Right now, however, you can use portable applications that let you run HTML and javascript on the device as if it was native. Phonegap, for example, will let you use most of the hardware available without doing any special coding.

But HTML5 and its related tech has eyes on providing the same functionality including controls for cameras, motion, touch and so on. Thus eliminating the need even for Phonegap. This may take some time since it is a standards body working on this but it's backed by the browser vendors themselves.

It's a fun, exciting time right now but, to tell the truth, it's more than an independent developer like myself can do to keep up.