Rev Online

[Mark Brownell]

On Thursday, July 29, 2004, at 02:29 PM, Derek Bump wrote:

>
>>   So my opinion is that the web should have been based on
>> HyperCard-like (Rev-like) platform, NOT HTML,  in the very first 
>> place.
>
> Isn't this pretty much what AOL and CompuServe were like?  I never got 
> a chance to use the old versions, but I do remember the screenshots 
> and they always reminded me of Stacks.

The web was based on SGML, Standard Generalized Markup Language, if I 
remember correctly. HTML and XML are both SGML compliant languages. 
Back in the stone age there was huge concern about wasting bandwidth. 
The internet was .300 to 1.4 kbt baud rate. The thought of providing 
pictures was innovative at the time. They even thought up the embed tag 
and made it prior art so that jerks wouldn't claim it in a patent 
dispute and get away with it. :-)

The thought of sending executable code was on their minds from the 
start. Even though the browsers were text based didn't mean the 
internet pipe had to be. Java, java script, quicktime, shockwave/flash, 
pdf, and real video and sound all are earlier versions of the 
executable internet. It comes down to getting a user base as to the 
success of any implementation worth mentioning.

just my opinion

Mark