MS, Mozilla Clashing Over JavaScript Update

jfruhlinger writes "JavaScript has become a crucial part of Websites built on AJAX underpinnings, which makes the upcoming revision to the ECMAScript standard crucial for the future of the Web. But in today's browser environment, no one vendor can impose an update path — which may set things up for a nasty conflict. A fight is being fought on blogs between Mozilla Chief Technology Officer (and creator of JavaScript) Brendan Eich, who wants to the new ECMAScript standard to be a radical upgrade, and Chris Wilson, architect of MS's IE team, who would rather keep JavaScript as is and put new functionality into a brand-new language."

Comments

In Other Words...

[MightyMartian]

As usual, Microsoft is attempting to wipe out an existing standard in favor of some new bastardized monster which it will control. Everyone will have to play catchup to Microsoft's ever-shifting language target, web developers will more than ever be stuck writing everything twice, once for IE and once for everything else. To further its monopoly, it will screw developers and consumers.

I mean, and what the fuck is wrong with updating a fucking language? Christ, they've been doing it with C for the better part of four decades, Fortran and Cobol for longer (adding OOP functionality and other radical new ideas). Microsoft has done it tons with its own Basic dialect, which barely resembles the old MS-BASIC found on Trash-80s and the like.

JavaScript is perfect with a couple exceptions

[BillPStudios]

JavaScript as it is now is a beautiful thing. Having Microsoft create something new is just their way of killing Javascript like they killed Java's future by adding their own features and confusing developers. Contrary to one post, Javascript does a lot more than just rendering ads. The best thing about Javascript is ease of programming. You don't have to be a professional programmer or web designer to create fun, useful stuff using JavaScript. There are plenty of functions in the public domain that novices can use to enhanced their web pages. What ever Microsoft creates will require a whole new object oriented, template based language which will be wonderful for anyone who has 6 months to learn it. The one thing needed for JavaScript needs is some security tweaks. It scares me anytime there's a new vulnerability found and researchers tell folks the easy solution is to disabled JavaScript. Bill

Re:Why not both?

[ultranova]

It seems they could both radically improve javascript and add in support for additional scripting languages. It would come at the price of increasing the size of the browsers, but that seems a small price to pay for the increased flexibility for developers.

Oh good. I get to buy even more RAM so that the developers, who have trouble using even current features correctly, get even more ways to screw things up. On top of that I Firefox gets more vulnerability vectors and potential memory leak / CPU hog points.

Sorry, but I hate all those sites which just have to use Javascript to open a new browser window when I click on a link, or just plain waste CPU cycles which Firefox already consumes too much of on its own on some inane counter. Javascript has caused enough trouble, please don't add any additional ways of screwing things over. Developers may love flexibility, but I, the user, love fast & lean surfing experience. Not that I'd get that in Firefox as is, but having several scripting systems isn't going to help any.

Re:Why not both?

[Anonymous Coward]

You're talking about the DOM, not Javascript/JScript. Also, learn the difference between it's and its, fuckwit.