Re: Active X Dead?

Mark Baker (markb@iosphere.net)
Tue, 30 Sep 1997 12:52:00 -0400 (EDT)


On Tue, 30 Sep 1997, CobraBoy! wrote:
> Microsoft's official line is that the Windows DNA technology will
> be their "new framework for building distributed computing
> solutions that integrate the Web with client/server models of
> application development" going forward, replacing all aspects of the
> ActiveX technology.

Oh, but wait.

http://www.microsoft.com/sitebuilder/dna/tech.asp

"The heart of Windows DNA is the integration of Web and client/server
application development models through the Component Object Model (COM).
Windows DNA services are exposed in a unified way through COM for
applications to use."

So, what we have here is another name change. ActiveX was getting too
much bad press, so a rename back to COM (or COM+) should fix that.

Confused yet?

Actually, I think DNA is a pretty smart strategy; emphasize the benefits
of Dynamic HTML over Java, but do it while requiring customers to lock-in
on proprietary APIs. Brilliant, but a day late and a dollar short.

And where's all the usual Microsoft fanfare over this thing? Why was it
announced *before* the release of IE4.0?

MB