Web vs Native (was Re: HTML5 limitations?)

[Richard Gaskin]

Mark Waddingham wrote:

 > On 2017-07-28 18:34, Richard Gaskin via use-livecode wrote:
 >> A sense of smooth liquid flow is the hallmark of modern UI.  If
 >> support for this were limited to one widget that requires JavaScript,
 >> we might as well use the other tools you mentioned above.
 >
 > This is simply not true. All tools have their limitations, all tools
 > have things they are good at and things that they are bad....

I think we're closer on this than might have originally seemed:

 > Right now JS/HTML5/CSS etc. has the edge over LiveCode in creating
 > these rich UIs.
...
 > So Swami's approach is the pragmatic one. Use the browser for the
 > things it is (currently) SUPERIOR for...

It seems we're both thinking long-term, and in a consistent direction.


 >> Related, Jacque's request for swipe transitions was well received,
 >> but oddly its status was changed to "Hibernated":
 >> http://quality.livecode.com/show_bug.cgi?id=20141
 >
 > That is the standard process for all enhancement requests.

My apologies, I've only very rarely seen that.  Most of the time 
requests I've submitted or monitored get flagged "Confirmed"; I've only 
seen "Hibernated" a few times, and usually for things we now use "Expert 
Review" for.  If this is the current process no worries.


 > Also, that particular request really doesn't in anyway explain how it
 > might work ( sorry Jacque :( ) or, indeed, what that syntax is meant
 > to  do - so that one has an extra step before moving forward. Actually
 > understanding what it is actually about and, indeed, if it even makes
 > sense.

Thanks for the interest - I just submitted a first draft spec as comment 
#2 there:
http://quality.livecode.com/show_bug.cgi?id=20141#c2


 > There's a huge chasm (I'm mentioning a lot of those lately) between
 > an idea, and an actionable idea, and then a huge chasm again between
 > an actionable notion and an implementation. (Btw, chasms generally
 > require either money or time to cross - or both - it isn't ever that
 > they cannot be crossed).
 >
 > Whilst it might seem that LiveCode's evolution moves at a glacial pace
 > at times; it is important to note that when compared to other 4GL
 > tools (one mentioned above is a good one) out there (and indeed other
 > dev tools in general) we are actually moving at tachyonic pace.

You've known me long enough to know how well that echoes many of my own 
posts here.  Perhaps the only difference is that when I write it some 
call me an "apologist" (I prefer to think of it as "pragmatist"), but as 
with so many things words from the mother ship carry much more weight 
than even the same words posted by anyone else.


 > Part of me thinks that we should perhaps slow down a bit (even if just
 > a little).

Maybe not a bad idea.  Burning the candle at both ends can result in 
burnout, and burnout can be hard to recover from.  And from time to time 
we see that request from some of the folks here, a desire for a 
maintenance-focused cycle with few of any new features.

Personally, I think v9 is striking a very excellent balance between 
features and fixes, but if you felt slowing down a bit would be 
beneficial I would support that.

-- 
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World Systems
  Software Design and Development for the Desktop, Mobile, and the Web
  ____________________________________________________________________
  Ambassador at FourthWorld.com                http://www.FourthWorld.com