[untog]

Are you sure there's no grain of truth in the complaints about today's dynamic Web?

Of course there are. But no-one has really articulated an alternative vision. That post certainly doesn't.

[cousin_it]

That post's alternative vision is something that already existed not so long ago, you can learn about it in as much detail as you want...

[untog]

So we throw away all scripting? No more Google Maps? Doesn't sound very realistic to me.

[cousin_it]

IMO, browser plugins were the way forward. You can have all the fancy stuff that modern computers can do, like Google Maps or even Quake Live, and at the same time most of the web can stay simple.

[untog]

Well, that's a terrible idea. Why do you think so many plugins are being phased out?

[cousin_it]

Well, the Flash plugin has become less popular because many developers disliked it and decided to bet on the open web instead. IMO that was for shortsighted ideological reasons. As far as I know, browser plugins are the only way to have truly decentralized innovation on the Web. Anyone can make a plugin and offer it to users. If plugins are discouraged, then a handful of browser makers become gatekeepers of all new functionality. It may seem okay now because some browser makers are seen as good guys, like Mozilla and Google, but we all remember the time when the biggest browser maker wasn't seen as a good guy, and that can happen again.

What are your arguments against plugins? I'm curious.

[untog]

Primary argument against plugins is that they have to be remade for every platform. See: the iPhone not having Flash.