bjornjajeja

Well put... However, the unfortunate thing about web technology is that websites no longer support NOSCRIPT. If we want true global compatibility, it’s HTML + CSS and ZERO JavaScript. That has immense privacy benefits too.

Actually, it assumes only that evolution of new features slows down. Once things are _slow enough_ the value of an extra dependency is dramatically reduced.

You’re right that was an off topic note.

I guess what I’m getting at is that most current browsers support very nice JavaScript features anyway. And instead of adding yet another layer between our code and the browser—embrace the current generation of (at this point very robust) language features available.

And if that’s not good enough use something like TypeScript!

You might call it a tanspiler and technically it IS. But the Babel homepage calls it a compiler.

In any case, for the plethora of down voters: Babel states: “Use next generation JavaScript, today”

At some point next gen == current gen, and therefor given enough stability, Babel becomes obsolete.

Folks, donate to Mozilla instead they actually move things forward not backward.

Honestly the very idea of a JavaScript compiler like that is destined for obsolescence per standardized features added to browsers.

Folks should just develop their own shims where necessary and TEST AGAINST VARIOUS BROWSERS.

Sure no one likes doing that, but it’s important to follow the fast-pace ECMAScript adoption.

I think a lot of it had to do more with business requirements than art or science. The business folks stroll in and make these generic one-click deploy type things to get sites up and running quickly, at the expense of being vetted by good artists and scientists.

A good analogy I think is any person using MS publisher to create a book layout. Sure it can be done quickly because the software does the thinking; but should it? Good books have skilled typographers designing the proportions of the pages relative to text block, the fonts, et cetera. The end result is a book that one scarcely notices but feels very pleasant to hold and experience.

We need websites that are subservient to their content; sites we scarcely notice but thoroughly enjoy.

EDIT: one last point: I think part of the problem is also that browsers have an identity issue. E.G. they started as a static publishing platform, but now they are a full blown operating system with web assembly etc. As we know, anything that does too many things is inherently complex, and hence “bloated.”