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A comment on Why Netflix Rolled Its Own Node.js Functions-As-a-Service Runtime. Parent comment

Re:Why Netflix Rolled Its Own Node.js Functions-As-a-Service... by millstone on Monday October 29, 2018 @01:50AM (#18325330)
If you think "serverless" is not confusing, then you have lost the vocabulary to even describe apps that run truly without servers: Photoshop, Word, tons of games, etc.

By your "wireless" analogy I think you view these apps to be absurd impossibilities, like electronics without wires.

This distinction is important. SimCity 5 gratuitously required the user to be constantly online, talking to some server. I mean obviously - there has to be a server somewhere, right?

No, there does not!! We need to retain the ability to talk about apps that do not need ANY server, and "serverless" muddies that crucial distinction.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Why Netflix Rolled Its Own Node.js Functions-As-a-Service... by jasonlotito on Monday October 29, 2018 @11:20AM (#18328198)
> If you think "serverless" is not confusing, then you have lost the vocabulary to even describe apps that run truly without servers:

I generally just call them apps and people understand what I mean because of context. But if you want to get pedantic, Photoshop requires a computer (what a server is).

It's all useless and pointless.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Why Netflix Rolled Its Own Node.js Functions-As-a-Service... by staticassertion on Monday October 29, 2018 @07:54AM (#18326712)
Are you seriously incapable of talking about programs that don't require servers because the word serverless exists? Have you considered... offline? Local? I've never heard the word serverless ever used to describe a system that does not require servers.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Why Netflix Rolled Its Own Node.js Functions-As-a-Service... by manigandham on Monday October 29, 2018 @07:13PM (#18332519)
No, but then why even have that term if it never describes something without servers?

"serverless" does not add any value. It causes confusion instead of creating clarity. It is utterly useless.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Why Netflix Rolled Its Own Node.js Functions-As-a-Service... by icebraining on Monday October 29, 2018 @08:03AM (#18326755)
> I've never heard the word serverless ever used to describe a system that does not require servers.

It was used a few times even on HN:

https://hn.algolia.com/?query=serverless&sort=byPopularity&p...

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Why Netflix Rolled Its Own Node.js Functions-As-a-Service... by icebraining on Monday October 29, 2018 @03:56AM (#18325710)
Agreed. And even web apps can be truly serverless, like TiddlyWiki.
[ Parent | on HN ]