TRINIX

This is a rather personal item that’s been bugging me for quiet some time.

That’s the fact of over-usage or miss-use of buzzwords.

I’m� active in� Web development and I try to stay up2date with all the new technologies and all the development methodologies. But I have to realize that this is practically impossible seeing the current fact that the last 5 years the Web development world has exploded with all kinds of new approaches and techniques and technology.

I remember the days that a website consisted out of plain and simple HTML, than there was CSS and then came the server-side like PHP and ASP. Next came browser interactions with Javascript. Things started to enhance and more and more was possible with a website. Then things got out of hand.

They started to use buzz words like AJAX, RIA, SOAP , REST, Webservices, Extreme Programming, Agile Programming, ….

Ok, I like the evolution of Web 2.0, in fact I have always predicted that the internet will be the future of ICT. But with this evolution it’s very hard to stay up2date with the technologies if in fact the most companies (in Belgium) are just realizing the importance and possibilities of the internet.

So you have the rapidly evolving technology, methodology and buzz words on one side and on the other side you have the companies that are just starting to see all the possibilities of the internet.

It’s like comparing the year 3000 with the middle ages

I’m still pro this evolution but we have to keep in mind that perhaps it’s time to slow things down a bit because at this rate we can’t keep up. If you focus on 1 thing you loose 10 other things. And this 1 thing can be out-dated in just 1 sec. And what’s the best technology to develop Web applications is it AJAX, Flex, Silverlight, AIR (Apollo), … ???

The developers are doing their best they can to keep up. But then comes the manager who has no insight in the learning curve of all these technologies and he expects his team to just switch from 1 day on the other to a new technology all because he has just heard some buzz words.

Now it has even become a trend to use all the buzz words in one sentence without even any reference between the words. This makes it easy to blow people away with all these buzz words.

Example: “Building RIA is easy using XP in combi with AJAX and REST”

This example has in fact has a reference but for a ICT out-sider this still will be like chinese, but will blow them away.

Just call thing by name and stop making up all unnecesarry redicoulous buzz words.

And only use the buzz words if you totally understand the meaning of the words and keep in mind that not everybody has the time to keep up with all the new buzz words, so explain them.

In other words what has the most impact that you use the term AJAX or Silverlight or the fact that you can build an web application with the technology.

Again, I’m pro the Web 2.0 evolution but don’t make things any more complicated then necessary or to say it with a buzz word ::: KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid).

I don’t know if this post makes any sense but I’m always ready for a discussion.