C1. Are web browsers the Holy Grail of GUI standards?

Some people think so. Even some people who don’t sell browsers think so. But we don’t think so, because browser functionality is tailored to display HTML with some HTTP methods thrown in, and HTTP is a very narrow client/server protocol. Take the batch-mode problem, for instance. When a client fills out a form using a web browser, it’s an inert data entry screen, not much different from 3270. Only when a batch of data is submitted does the system exhibit intelligence. That’s the paradigm PCs were invented to transcend.

The question gets fuzzy, though, if we open the notion of “browsers” to include virtual machines (e.g., HotJava), or embedded code interpreters (e.g., JavaScript). Here we augment HTTP to restore client intelligence. These beasties could have a shot at Graildom — market forces permitting.

An interesting side question is which of the two competing paradigms for GUI unification will win. Netscape and its allies are pushing OS-independent, browser-based solutions; devices like Oracle’s network computer follow this model. By contrast Microsoft continues to vie for desktop dominance with its Windows-centric model. “It’s the OS, stupid.” By furnishing everything from the graphics kernel to the IP stack to the web browser as an OS service, Microsoft chops at efforts to make the Internet the locus of computing technology. If you had to pick today, which would you choose? Let us know.

C2. Come to think of it, is there even an HTML standard anymore?

If 80% market share makes a standard, Yes. If standards are defined by the consensus of interested parties toward a common goal, Maybe. You should probably read what the standards-bearers have to say about this state of affairs.

The reality is that market forces have driven the standards process since Netscape introduced . In fact, the current de jure standard, HTML 3.2 (code name: Wilbur), is pretty much a rubber stamp on the de facto standard of HTML 2.0 plus Netscape and Microsoft enhancements.

C3. If everyone uses the same browser, is there any reason to avoid proprietary tags?

The chief reason to avoid proprietary anything is to give yourself an out. In practice this translates to demanding vendor respect, since customers can walk.

If you build a document repository using proprietary language features, you’ve wedded yourself to a vendor, a product line, a version, a set of experts, and possibly specific platforms. The vendor is, of course, under no obligation to perform in any of these areas. This is true irrespective of browser type. As a rule of thumb: systems that cost more than 5% of your annual IT budget should be as standards-based as you can make them without sacrificing requirements.

The growth of the internet has given an unprecedented perspective to every domain of human life. Be it interacting with people, shopping online, collaborated working, video streaming, or listening to music. Among all consumer and entertainment industries, the Music industry in general and Electronic Music Industry in particular got its biggest break with the installation of Fiber optic cables all over the world. A piece of glass has surely made the whole world glitter!

Electronic Dance Music has become a cult since its inception and is one of the widely recognised form of music in the contemporary world. Pop, Rock, Metal, Jazz, Hip Hop, or Indie tunes, when mixed with the bass of electronic music creates magical tracks, which are so intriguing that one just can’t stop the body from syncing with the electronic beats. With today’s advanced communication technology, millions of hopeful musicians around the world are able to find a place on the internet to broadcast their music. For electronic music artists, recognizing this shift in people’s choice is the key to a successful campaign and to boost their career paths.

In the present context, when teenage parties, fashion shows and even, corporate events are incomplete without a tinge of electronic music, it’s a golden chance for any electronic music artist to capture the trend and make money/fame out of it. But, making money or achieving fame is not easy when you have a whole lot of market to tap and virtually no concrete plan on how to do it. So strategic planning, along with proper execution is the key to a successful music breakthrough!

Logically speaking, when everyone is promoting their music online, how can one shine out. In such scenarios, taking help from professional services helps a lot. When SoundCloud is the trending platform for music sharing and listening, it becomes necessary for any music composer to attract a fan or a music studio via SoundCloud. The more your outreach among your music’s niche, the more are your chances to become the next Prince of music! Professional services like the ones offered by soundcloudpromotions.com help a lot in carving out a plan customised for you. The kind of music one makes, the kind of fan following one desires, and the kind of artist one wants to be – all are taken care of by SoundCloudPromotions.com

Assign proper tags to your music, focus on the audience while making music, always lookout for ways to master your techniques, work with like-minded artists, refer each other’s work and get yourself known – these are some tips to get a sure shot fan following in the online musical era.

C4. Where can I find out about Netscape Navigator’s HTML extensions?

At netscape.com.

C5. Where can I find out about Microsoft Internet Explorer’s HTML extensions?

At microsoft.com.

C6. How useful is Plug-In technology on an intranet (versus, say, Helper Apps)?

First of all, Netscape Plug-Ins are proprietary and only available for Windows, so see Question C3.

Next, Plug-Ins are likely an interim technology on the way from classical web browsers to fully functional web clients. While they extend the browser in a modular fashion, Plug-Ins perpetuate a procedural programming model, acting as viewers for inert data.

That said, Plug-Ins can be enormously helpful in bringing client/server benefits to an intranet. Best of all, they’re here today. File viewers like FTP Software Keyview and Adobe Amber make documents format-neutral a reality; Shockwave and RealAudio do the same for multimedia; and myriad 3D viewers do as much for VRML worlds.

Sure, plug into Plug-Ins … just be prepared to disconnect when the Next Big Thing comes along.

C7. When should I use embedded scripts, such as Netscape JavaScript or Microsoft JScript?

Scripts, which operate on the client, are required to implement any event-driven functionality in the browser. Traditional web technology provides no way to detect and act on mouse clicks or typed-in text. You need scripts to do that.

In addition, scripts can be used to make web pages more dynamic. Text that drifts across the browser status bar or a real-time clock display are common examples.

C8. Which is better, JavaScript or VBScript?

Ask as frequently as you like, we’re not answering vendor preference questions! But we did find the following reasonable response on Usenet, courtesy of author Mark Stone:

It depends on your goals.

If you want cross platform code that will work on any scripting
enabled browser that hits your site, then you should stick within the
confines of JavaScript 1.0, and pay careful attention to discrepancies
between JavaScript on Navigator 2.0, JavaScript on Navigator 3.0, and
JScript on Explorer 3.0. There are a number of discrepancies, but they
can almost always be worked around to achieve the same general result
in a way that works on all these browsers.

If you don’t care about cross platform code then it really depends on
what your programming background is, and whether you want to use
ActiveX controls. JavaScript is a more naturally object oriented
language, which is a plus. If you already know Visual Basic, however,
then you will find it easier to use VBScript. If you plan on making
extensive use of ActiveX controls you should also consider VBScript.
While JScript on IE can interact with ActiveX controls, the
interaction is more seamless using VBScript, and the VBScript/ActiveX
connection is better documented.

C9. I’ve heard that there are several incompatible versions of JavaScript out there: v1.0, v1.1, JScript, etc. Which “standard” should I code to?

As long as rugged individualism conflicts with community spirit, there won’t be a satisfactory answer to this question — or any other concerning multiple, competing “standards.” That’s an interesting bit of philosophy, you say, but it doesn’t help much? Here are some facts to help you make a decision.

JavaScript is a Netscape trademark and, despite the open availability of the API, is proprietary to that company’s browsers. JScript is Microsoft’s implementation of JavaScript for the Internet Explorer line. JScript and JavaScript 1.0 are roughly equivalent (with exceptions documented in books like Mark Stone’s How to Program Microsoft JScript; cf. C8).

With v3.0 of Navigator, Netscape introduced an enhanced JavaScript (v1.1) with features not available in any other browser. Nice features … if you don’t mind a little lock-in. The following excerpts from newsgroup comp.lang.javascript make the same points with more, er, esprit de corps

“For as long as IE exists, you can’t write a piece of code
worth writing and make it browser-independent. Unless MS
actually gets an IQ or two and gets JavaScript right”.rant()

JScript doesn’t support the image array. Which means that your
script is NS3.0 only. which is a Major bummer, esp with [dynamic
graphics] in your application. So, only thing you can do is
test to make sure
navigator.appName = “Netscape” and
navigator.appVerson.substring(0,1) = 3
before you run your stuff. G’Luck.
Response, posted later that day

For as long as Netscape does not implement an “open” JavaScript
you can’t write a piece of code browser independent.

I have to say that writing JavaScript 1.0 in IE 3.0 is a joy
compared to writing JavaScript 1.0 in Netscape 2.x. If you use
Netscape 3.0 and JavaScript 1.1, your code will run nowhere else.