Are you ready for a GUI technology that doesn't require you to learn a class library? Could XUL (or a variant) be, finally, the simple, cross-platform solution to two decades of GUI programming frustration? Tell us in the talk.editors.devx discussion group.
The future of GUI development isn't class libraries, frameworks or platformsit's XML.
by Nigel McFarlane
October 21, 2002
here's no brawl like the brawl over a GUI technology. XML is the new entrant into this particular pit-fight, and it looks like the ultimate winner to me. XML is not the winner today, but it fences off such a big chunk of potential that existing GUI players such as .NET and Java don't wow me that much any more. If you do GUI development, start watching XML; it's easy to write, easy to change, and perfectly suited to the fluid and subjective nature of GUI development. Also, because XML is a crossover technology, it has a huge potential user-base: all GUI programmers, both Web and traditional.
One of the easiest ways to find a dying piece of software is to look for one that's getting a new GUI. Somehow, refreshing the GUI is supposed to give the application new life. It's an Elvis kind of thing. If only such magic applied to GUI technology itself. For general-purpose programmers, I'd say most 20th century GUI technology stinks.
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here's no brawl like the brawl over a GUI technology. XML is the new entrant into this particular pit-fight, and it looks like the ultimate winner to me. XML is not the winner today, but it fences off such a big chunk of potential that existing GUI players such as .NET and Java don't wow me that much any more. If you do GUI development, start watching XML; it's easy to write, easy to change, and perfectly suited to the fluid and subjective nature of GUI development. Also, because XML is a crossover technology, it has a huge potential user-base: all GUI programmers, both Web and traditional.
