What's The Greatest Web Software Ever?

An anonymous reader writes "What's The Greatest Web Software Ever Written?, Charlie Babcock of InformationWeek asks, in his follow up to last year's widely read list of greatest software period. The winner then was BSD 4.3. The new Top 12 list is a little funky in that it doesn't distinguish between apps, sites, and controls — XMLHttpRequest object set — is one of the winners. It includes many of the usual suspects, like Digg and AIM, along with some unexpected winners. (like World of Warcraft) The number one choice however, Apache server, is arguably correct."

Comments

Ever ever?

[Zapotek]

Well, if you take "ever" literally... the greatest software ever hasn't been written yet.. :)

My List

[queenb**ch]

1 - Apache - still one of the most popular web servers out there. One of the most flexible and adaptable. It just rocks.
2 - Routed - the router daemon that, in some shape, form or fashion, runs probably 90% of the internet. Without routers to move the traffic, the rest of it just a moot point
3 - Netscape 1.0 - The idea of a GUI browser is fundamental to how we experience the web today. Without that, who needs dynamic objects like Flash since you wouldn't be able to see them.
4 - Flash - The idea that you could put moving pictures, sound, and video on a web page is a pretty fundamental one that gets largely over looked.
5 - Shockwave - The idea that could put games and other interactive media on a web page is another pretty fundamental idea that gets largely overlooked.
6 - CSS - Stylesheets - what a blessing to every web master everywhere. Praise the Lord and pass the wine.

I'm kinda surprised that more of my list didn't make it. Oh well......

2 cents,

Queen B.

Re:My List

[Anonymous Coward]

3 - Netscape 1.0 - The idea of a GUI browser is fundamental to how we experience the web today.

So why Netscape 1.0? Why not either Mosaic (earlier) or Firefox (better)?

Re:free advert for Vista ..

[Timesprout]

Thanks for mentioning Vista a couple of times in your post. We hear in the Vista marketing team really appreciate it when Vista gets a mention. I inspires us in the Vista family to really work to make Vista the best Vista that it can be.

Thanks again for mentioning Vista. Now I'm off to sit on my balcony with a cold beer and enjoy the Vista.

Yours etc
Vista Marketing Team

Digg, really?

[Rik Sweeney]

Personally I always found Digg to be *very* OK, nothing special, mainly shovelware stories. Perhaps it's because I discovered it around September 2006.

Unfortunately, after the whole HD-DVD key revolt, I decided Digg was just far too childish to bother with anymore. Sure, at one point Digg was probably very good, but after 1st May 2007, it died (for me anyway).

As with every piece of software, it'd be perfect if it wasn't for the users.

Re:PHP all the way.

[swsuehr]

Actually no, Apache isn't popular because of PHP. Apache was quite popular well before PHP was even *invented*. Apache + Perl as a development stack was quite popular prior to PHP and still is to this day.

The LAMP stack was simply the *only* way to develop web apps and definitely didn't become popular as an alternative to ASP. Rather, ASP was developed as an alternative to the Apache stack.

Skip the Ads, here's the picks

[Anonymous Coward]

In the same order as the author used in the 7th ad-filled page*:

12. AOL Instant Messenger
11. Digg
10. Hotmail
9. World Of Warcraft
8. Wikipedia
7. XMLHttpRequest object set
6. Amazon.com
5. eBay
4. The Well
3. Craigslist
2. AltaVista
1. Apache

*If you want to say thank you, mod up -- and thank YOU.