Comparing Web Technologies to Hillary Clinton (and Other Fighting Words)
The programmer showed up at the hotel door after midnight sloshy and without his keycard. I made him give me juicy tidbits through the door before letting him in (for fear he’d pass out on the bed and I’d be left with nothing to chitchat about here).
I tried to drag information about the Battle of the Frameworks out of him first, because well, let’s face it, out of all the titles on the schedule this is the one I probably understand the most. And I was holding out for mention of light sabres. First, let’s look at our contestants.
* Dan Allen, author of Seam in Action
* Peter Armstrong, author of Flexible Rails
* Bear Bibeault, co-author of jQuery in Action, Prototype & Scriptaculous in Action, and Ajax in Practice
* Max Carlson, co-author of Laszlo in Action and co-founder of Laszlo Systems
* Chad Michael Davis, co-author of Struts2 in Action
* Obie Fernandez, author of The Rails Way
* Robert Hanson, co-author of GWT in Action
* Yehuda Katz, co-author of jQuery in Action
* Chris Richardson, author of POJOS in Action
So I’m going to assume these are some of the best of the best since they’re battling it out as representatives of their frameworks. All I really notice is what is with all the In Action (and one In Practice)? What the hell does In Action mean anyway? Are they all at the gym? And then what’s up with the two odd-title-out Rails books/experts. Is a Rail supposed to flexible? I certainly hope not, Amtrak’s got enough problems. And The Rails Way? Sounds like a self help book. Of course we all need help, maybe a framework will help us find a higher plain of mystical computing wholeness. Ahh, the coffee is kicking in.
Anyway, the programmer began his dissertation on THE BATTLE by first clarifying a misunderstanding. The title of the talk is misleading (hell, I hope it’s not THE BATTLE part). Thankfully, it was that pesky, ambiguous FRAMEWORK word. He said this wasn’t really a battle of the frameworks because a lot of the [INSERT Word Of Choice] In Actions above aren’t frameworks…of course the only one I can remember him mentioning is that GWT isn’t a framework (but I know Seam, Rails and Struts2 are). So it wasn’t really a battle of the frameworks because some of these just weren’t comparable.
So what was it then?
JAVA VERSUS RUBY (Rails).
Lay your light sabres on the table and lets measure ‘em, boys.
Okay, well that’s what I would have done.
Apparently the Rails gurus laid down the gauntlet with a taunt that Rails was more mature than anything in the Java Platform.
And THE BATTLE commenced (or, as the programmer calls it, THE FLAME WAR).
Supposedly the Java people answered the call and at some point were asked to put down the flame thrower.
Ahh, so that answers my question finally. Screw the light sabres, bring on the flame throwers.
Oh, and how does Hillary Clinton play into all this? The programmer remembered one of the gurus mentioning that some technology wasn’t going to win (because a battle is all about who is left standing right?) but he couldn’t remember what that technology was. I feel a sense of irony here. So I’ll create my own quote from the one he only half remembered:
“[INSERT Technology/Framework here] is the Hillary Clinton of web technology. It’s good, but it won’t win.“
So which framework did win? I was answered by a beer-scented snore.
hotel room to suck down some caffeine. I love how the hotel room has quickly become just like home. Note the massive amount of cords, laptop and coffee leaving rings on my notebook. You can’t take me anywhere.
