How can Microsoft Volta talk smack about GWT?

Author: Jimmy

15 Jan

Microsoft Volta was often referred to as a GWT copycat (carelessly).

Yes, Volta does generate JavaScript but it does so in a somewhat different way than GWT: while GWT reads Java code and compiles to JavaScript, Volta reads bytecode (.NET IL) and compiles to JavaScript. And Volta uses the existing .Net APIs instead of defining its own UI APIs like GWT does. Theoretically, you can write an app in C# or VB.Net using the form designer, add some annotations to tell the system which parts are client code, and compile the same source to both a thick client and a web app. Sounds cool?

“It made over 171 HTTP requests to load up all of its generated JavaScript, over 2 megabytes of code, it took 20 seconds to startup, ran slow once it did, threw exceptions and sent me into the debugger, and when I looked at the code, I noticed that it had compatibility code for other browsers in my download, code chewing up space and network bandwidth that are useless to my Firefox instance.” said Ray Cromwell of Timepedia/Chronoscope when he took Volta test application WordWorm for a spin.

Though this is just a prototype, Microsoft should show that doesn’t have so many easy to assess flaws. I cannot play with Volta right now since it requires VS.NET 2008 (which I don’t have) but would I want to crash my browser?

Recommended Reading: This site recommends Website Magazine for 'Net Success

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