New Language CURL Merges HTML And Javascript

jluxe writes: "CNN reports that a new language, Curl, was presented at the Software Development Forum in Palo Alto. This language works via a plug-in to browsers, and attempts to merge the gap between HTML, javascript, java, and even C++. It also supports the Macromedia Flash plug-in. Interesting to note that Tim Berners-Lee is listed as a financial backer of this venture, as well as an adviser." Here's the Curl Corporation's official website as well.

Comments

Re:Compiled Web...

[netsharc]

I managed to do this with JavaScript and HTML, but I found it to be very dependant on JavaScript, and when I mangled a single line in my JavaScript file, my whole site would break. I was making a journal site, and I wanted to make a "Previous" and "Next"-type of links, but couldn't be bothered to do it manually. So I created a JavaScript array of the diary entries and saved it into an external JS file, and had each html file access the script and call the appopriate functions to create the "Previous" and "Next" links. document.write() is my friend.. I also created a function to write A HREF tags, because I didn't feel like writing ONMOUSEOVER="window.status='text';" ONMOUSEOUT="window.status='';" over and over again. (I know how lame some people think that "hiding of the URL" is. But the function adds the URL to the end of that custom status line :) Of course that meant that any spider that went into my page saw no HREF links, unless they were bored/agressive enough to implement a JavaScript interpreter.

Yeah, that's one of the problems with this idea. If it has to be interpreted client-side, won't it just break the search engines? I wonder if Google or AltaVista has the computing power to parse all the sites that might use Curl. The other problem is of course of browser support, it has to e on IE if it wants to be broadly used. Hopefully it's like Flash and the plugin is downloaded automatically, much to the annoyance of those on 56k.

Now I've found PHP (and a free hosting service which supports it). So it's server-generated content for me. I've seen abuses of PHP though, because HTML can be created in a for-loop, you get a waste of bandwidth where all the TDs of a TABLE have a WIDTH attribute. In reality only the columns of a single table row needs that attribute, the colums of the other rows follow the WIDTH attribute of the columns of that single row. Actually that sites just needs some good CSS.

How much bandwidth did I save? Not a lot, I think, with that much extra overhead. But for bigger sites with repeat viewers it would be worth it.

Berners-Lee did not invent the Internet.

[Anonymous Coward]

I did. It was all based in solid state logic from parts gleaned from old japanese 8 track players. The first web site was in fact a diode.

They should've named it hurl.

[Pinback]

Don't install curl on anything you don't want crashed. BSODs for everyone.

The license looks like another get rich quick scheme.

Sorry, its windows only.

Uhh

[Auckerman]

Blah Blah, old news, Blah, Blah, Blah

Wake up people, some things are worth repeating. Neat technology that doesn't get attention that it deserves is sometimes worth a second article. Instead of pointing out the obvious, try talking about the technology itself.