XML Based Web Sites

What is on the horizon for web site design? Faster less complex pages that will compile universally for a wider range of platforms including the smart phones? Will it continue on the same path expanding on html (the worlds most universal language) and css? More web sites utilizing flash for the high speed internet that is growing more saturated every year? Well in my opinion I would definitely have to say all of the above, but with a little twist.

HTML has been the dominant presentation layer solution for web since its existence. CSS made it even more powerful. The combination of JavaScript / CSS / HTML commonly referred to as dynamic html (DHTML) yet again made it even more powerful. Now what is popular is using XML and JavaScript (AJAX) “behind the scenes” to present more interactive web sites.

Meanwhile, running parallel with HTML – Flash the embedded objects within an HTML page grew fast in popularity when it was announced in 1996 due to the amazing compression it introduced that enabled animations and interactivity. It has continued to grow in use amongst the web site design industry. XML and Flash became popular around 2000 and continued to grow in popularity delivering most of the music you hear on the internet via Flash/XML mp3 players. Flash in my opinion has always been in competition to replace HTML, but never had any real world situations where this technique could be used. So most developers/designers choose to use hybrid Flash/HTML web sites. Or typically the wider the audience the more html, the more advanced the audience the more flash. And don’t let me mistake you flash could never replace HTML until only recently.

The Future

MXML came into existence around 2004, an XML based user interface markup language combined with Javascript to create rich internet applications. Flex is the framework that compliles the MXML and ActionScript on the fly into Flash or swf files. The beauty for the end-user of these applications is that it loads only once!
Thermo
http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/Thermo

XAML also pronounced ZAML

MXML
OpenLaszlo
CookSwing
SwiXML
SwixNG
Thinlet
Ultrid
Vexi
XAL
XSWT
ZUL
XAML
XUL
XHTML
XFDL
XForms
Curl 5.0
GladeXML
HTMLR
UIML
PSML
Gul
XWT
QuiX
XML Sapiens
Bindows
BXML
Boxely
VTML
XHPD
XAL
MyXaml
XRC – used by wxWidgets
libavg
GNUstep Renaissance