Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: Web browsers still don't work

Author:don_wakefield@mentorg.com
Posted:3/29/1999; 2:06:43 PM
Topic:Build interfaces with xml: XUL (cnet article)
Msg #:4665 (In response to 4593)
Prev/Next:4664 / 4666

"Sure there's web-based email, but lots of people still use emailer programs. Why? Because the web-browser makes a shitty email client."

And sure, there's web-based newsgroups, but lots of people still use Usenet programs. Why? Because every web-based newsgroup facility I've used (this one, and www.fool.com's, for instance) is painful by comparison. Please don't say, "but Usenet is a waste of time filled with lots of noise over content". I'm not talking about particular newsgroups, but about the *protocol*. Use the standard and let *me* choose what viewer (Yet Another Newswatcher, for instance) I use.

I've asked countless times, though not at this site, why people can't just use an NNTP server for their (optionally password-protected, moderated, private) newsgroups. The usual answer is the need to hook into proprietary databases, control page turns, etc. I'm sure Dave has good personal reasons for thinking this is a better format for *his* forums.

Where I'm headed is, so do other folks. A tool like XUL may give them better leverage to invent the application they really want. Then the web browser becomes the proper framework for that application for *them*.

There are responses to this message:

This page was archived on 6/13/2001; 4:49:08 PM.

© Copyright 1998-2001 UserLand Software, Inc.