JamieG Analysis

The Apple hype engine has been going into overdrive lately about Sproutcore. “What is Sproutcore?” Well, to a long tooth net developer, its JUST ANOTHER JAVASCRIPT FRAMEWORK.  But to the Apple alumni, its the biggest thing to happen to net applications in a long time.

My Web/Javascript programming friends do not even consider sproutcore is as good as many other javascript libraries on the net for example, the Yahoo libray, mootools etc.  However, because Apple is using it and promoting it and Apple has very publicly refused to support Adobe Flash.  This is a big deal.

Apple has given some relevant but ultimately hollow reasons to refuse the support of FlashLite (As a developer I never expected full Flash support), probably one of the most asked for features on the Iphone.  This leads everyone to ask WHY?

Sproutcore is the first sign of why.  In my opinion, this is the main reason why the hype engine is running into the red/extreme zone.  Ultimately it gives us a hint that Apple are actually considering introducing a competitive product to Flash and Silverlight.

As a developer Sproutcore, as an alternative to a real Internet application development environment, is laughable.  All these new javascript frameworks are, in a simplistic description, just an extension to the typical old HTML <FORM> type features and widgets but better looking and friendly-er with real time feedback.

A set of widgets does not an application make.

If we look at current Internet applications which only use Javascript frameworks.  You will notice they are extremely limited and simple.  Javascript frameworks are simply not well suited for extensive Internet Applications.  It gets over complex fast and slows down very quickly.  I have seen flash/flex internet applications that simply cannot be done in Javascript frameworks.  A good example of these are the online picture editing tools like, Photoshop Express.

Lets look at the other Internet God, Google.  Google is a flagship of businesses built on OSS (Open Source Software).  Much of their technology is based on it.  Android, the new Mobile Phone OS and much more.  Still, Google does use Flash extensively in all their analytics products.  The new Flash version of Google Maps API, in my opinion, is far superior then the AJAX version. (Faster, Zooms better, etc)

Google is not afraid to use the right technology for the right Job.

Adobe has also, in recent months, released much of the specifications of FLASH.  So much so that writing your own Flash player is now very possible (From my understanding a number of open source projects are chewing on this right now.)  Adobe did not , however, release much of the information regarding the video and DRM systems. (What did you expect)

Flash has its uses.  The lack of flash on ANY of apple websites and iPhone restrict it from any type of analytics and data representation.  It restricts if from more complex Applications that are possible in Flash and Silverlight.  Apple, proud of its superior OS and software, this simply does not jell.

Still, Apple is right about one thing.  Javascript frameworks like Sproutcore is very suitable for the iPhone applications.  the widgets it supports and the type of applications you would use on the iPhone can mostly be implemented with Sproutcore.

Reading other blog analysis of this issue, much weight is put into the issue that Steve wants to support non-proprietary standards for its tools.  This is a nice “Purist view” but nothing more then hot air.  Apple may encourage the use of open standard on its products, however, Steve knows more then most that, to make a superior and well defined product, open source development methodology simply does not work.  Look at Linux for the desktop.  It could be as refined and as good as OSX.  It has come a long way but has not and possibly never will reach that level of OSX as Linux is an OS with a vision sourced by hundreds of developers around the world. OSX is a vision of one man. Steve Jobs.

It is for these reasons that no open source attempts at making a technology like flash can reach the level flash has.  Steve knowns this, so rejecting Flash for the reasons stated is, in my opinion, a smoke screen.

As a developers, the big issue with the lack of Flash is the lack of cross development capabilities.  Flash is very popular, and right now, FLEX is one of the hottest programing languages around.  I personally have a lot of code I would like to drop onto the iPhone.  But right now, I have to go back to the drawing board and use javascript and a framework like Sproutcore.  That’s like asking a C++ programming he has to go back to BASIC.  It’s degrading.

Ultimately, one must concede that Apple has something up its sleeve.  And it was announced at WWDC with the feature list of Snow Leopard.  Quicktime X is likely to be more then a video engine.  I expect a new platform encompassing much of the features left out in the current restricted frameworks supported by Apple for the Web.  It is likely to be very standards friendly and cross platform (Windows, Linux, Apple)

One could even speculate that Snow Leopard is possibly an open version of OXS for any Intel based hardware.  A common rumour I like to push and feel would catapult Apple into a position where it really is competing with Microsoft.