The HTML5 Conspiracy - Controlled-opposition competition?

[Calidude]

Hear me out for a second. Let's discuss open-source OS's, starting with a timeline.

It starts with Meego: an open source OS based on a fusion of Debian and Fedora. A true Linux distribution. It sought to directly compete with iOS, which is a Unix-based OS like OSX. If you watch the finished product in action on the N9, it looks as smooth as the big boy OS's we have today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5TEv8v3Jcc

Then, we see Microsoft gutting Meego in favor of Windows Phone in its partnership with Nokia. Meego ends up being shelved, and then strangely - incorporated into Tizen, a new OS made by a partnership between Intel, Samsung, and the Linux foundation (it seems). However, we found out in March 2012 that for Tizen there will be no option for native development and only HTML5 will be supported.

Fast-forward for the recent Alphas of Firefox OS. Yet another HTML5-heavy OS, where all apps will be based on that curious framework.

Now, you have to wonder...why would the only 2 open source contenders going against Android be so reliant on HTML5 when HTML5 has been shown to be a massive failure for application development? Look at Facebook's comments on its HTML5 apps being a mistake, and look at how other websites are going native with their apps instead of HTML5, such as the Gmail app and the dozens of Banking apps out there. If you go to any app review page for an app that is based heavily on HTML5, you'll see people call the app "slow" or "ugly" or "eats battery like crazy" or "not integrated well into the OS".

Could it be that Google's leverage is secretly turning the gears behind the scenes, making sure that its partnerships with Microsoft and Samsung and the open source collaborative community ensure that only Android stays on top and that money will be pumped into "dummy" outfits like Tizen and Firefox OS so that nobody will wonder why there isn't a serious competitor against Android out there? People will be able to see those contenders, but you just know that HTML5 has no future in the way native development can.

Let's say Tizen and Firefox OS come out with their HTML5 framework. The average consumer doesn't know that HTML5 is not efficient. They'll ignore things like Tizen and Firefox OS and play right into Android. It will be years before there will be a true Linux distribution like Meego again and by that time, Android will have the overwhelming majority of the mobile market, and people will stay in the Microsoft-Google-Apple trifecta for good since all the HTML5 contenders came and failed. A cartel, if there ever was one.

What's Android? It's a Java VM on top of the Linux Kernel. Does Google see how they've put themselves in a bad position with Java and is now intent on making sure their partnerships result in competition that is doomed to an HTML5 failure?

Time will tell. Meego is being forked by a Finnish company trying to bring it back from the dead, but without the backing of Nokia and the Linux foundation, it will remain a casualty of anti-competitive behavior in the mobile tech world.

 

[jeffe]

Look at Facebook's comments on its HTML5 apps being a mistake, and look at how other websites are going native with their apps instead of HTML5, such as the Gmail app and the dozens of Banking apps out there. If you go to any app review page for an app that is based heavily on HTML5, you'll see people call the app "slow" or "ugly" or "eats battery like crazy" or "not integrated well into the OS".

I think it is too early to tell. Look at how different Android is today vs how it was when it first came out. Nothing stays the same...If anything, the market will be to crowded for all these companies to coexist.

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

HTML5 is not a real programming language. HTML5 is standard HTML+XML+a few extensions. I do not see why we need a conspiracy, if HTML5 is such a weak competitor.

 

[Calidude]

HTML5 is not a real programming language. HTML5 is standard HTML+XML+a few extensions. I do not see why we need a conspiracy, if HTML5 is such a weak competitor.

The conspiracy is "make sure our competition only runs HTML5".

 

[Technarchy]

I think the answer is more simple.

Very few companies are have real consumer friendly operating system experience and are capable of producing a palatable mobile OS solution.

What's a company to do if they want to get into the game? Latch on to a standard like HTML5 and make some quasi mobile solution that impresses no one, or buy something like google did with android and try and shoehorn it viable mobile platform.

Also, the user experience on open source generally sucks, so not many want to want to go that route where they know they will instantly be compared to iOS and look like hell.

And it's not like there is this larger market begging for a shoddy open source solution anyway.

 

[mcman77]

HTML5 won't die out. It is just growing in the web world and being developed by many, even apple.

I'm not talking about mobile market but it will soon be standard on the web.

All that development will obviously help out FF OS...but don't you need a constant internet connection to run your phone?

PS. HTML5 runs a lot of java based apps, like the phone dialer or the camera.

And Google has contributed to the linux foundation overall.

Your theory could be valid in the sense of keeping the code locked down but only for something like IQ carrier reasons, I imagine.

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

PS. HTML5 runs a lot of java based apps, like the phone dialer or the camera.

HTML5 includes a Java VM? Your source is?

 

[mcman77]

HTML5 includes a Java VM? Your source is?

nope not Java VM....I meant javascript! My bad.