Still Glad I'm Going with OpenLaszlo - Google & Google Maps

I've made the announcement that I'm working with OpenLaszlo to build my web-based Project Management application, Ataraxis Unity. I came across this article today titled, Take browsers to the limit: Google. It references a lot of things Lars Rasmussen, lead engineer of the Google Maps project, said at a conference on Web engineering.

Being a web developer I FULLY understand how groundbreaking Google Maps was. The first time I used it - I was completely flipping out. I couldn't believe that could be accomplish with JavaScript and a web browser. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, it was one of the apps that inspired me to start working with JavaScript. But, as I mentioned in that same post, I gave up due to the complexities involved with modern web browsers and JavaScript.

I would like to quote you a couple of items from the above mentioned article.

For example, Maps can command Internet Explorer to use VML to display a blue line between geographical points, but use a PNG graphic format and a linear description for the Firefox browser.

Maybe when you have an army of PhD engineers at your disposal, and enough revenue to float thousands of cool new risky ideas through your product pipeline - the above quote sounds like a good thing. Maintain 2 versions of an application? No thanks!

Working for Google has other advantages, he said, adding that when a bug that caused Maps to malfunction with the Firefox browser was discovered, "we called up the Firefox [lead engineer] the weekend before launch, and he came around and plugged in his debugging code".

Um.... How many ISV's can do that? "Yeah, my JavaScript isn't working in your browser. Would you mind dropping by and hooking up your debugger?"

I know, I know, paid support through Mozilla or Microsoft is available. OpenLaszlo has bugs too, but guess what. If I could a solution around it, I only have to code one solution, for one platform. If you've got the resources to maintain multiple code bases, more power to you. If you've got the ability to have all the browser's lead engineer's come by and plug in their debugging code, you're like, at least 10x cooler than I am! ;)