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Web Predictions For 2009

By David Walsh on January 1, 2009

A new year usually brings hope of better things. It also bring expectations and wonder. Here are my (unfounded) web predictions for 2009.

1. A JavaScript Framework Will Fall

I believe that a JavaScript framework will fall in 2009. I really wouldn't be shocked to see one go. I don't want to share which I think will fall, but the popularity of jQuery, coupled with the lack of progress being made on a few of them, makes me feel as though at least one will die off.

2. Firefox's Usage Will Grow Tremendously...

I believe more businesses will steer their employees toward using Mozilla Firefox and thus increase Firefox's usage. Internet Explorer's sluggish performance coupled with Firefox's feature set will make IE a secondary browser for many businesses.

3. ...But IE Will Continue Its Reign

Too many users simply take what they're given and this will not change. Internet Explorer 6 and 7, and on a lower usage level 8, will continue to dominate the browser market share.

4. MooTools' Popularity Will Grow

MooTools will release a plugin forge which will quickly become a treasure chest that will attract many web developers.

5. Developers Find Out: Knowing One Framework Isn't Good Enough

While being an expert with on JavaScript framework is great, developers will realize that knowing one framework isn't good enough. Porting plugins from a different framework to the developer's preferred framework will become tiresome and the process of reinventing the wheel will be the motivation pick up another framework.

Have any predictions of your own? Am I crazy? Share!

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Discussion

AppBeacon
David,

Did you make a prediction last year that MooTools would implode or fork? I know someone did, but I can’t remember whom.

Did MooTools fork recently?

Justin Noel
cssProdigy
David, Your not crazy.
I hope Firefox usage grows, in 2009 I just might be able to fully drop IE6 and forget about it. The MooTools plugin repository will be nice. I love what the JavaScript frameworks are doing and seeing anyone of them fall isn’t pleasant. With what MooTools is doing it’ll definitely grow.
Zach Dunn
It seems like everyone in the web niche blogs has IE6’s downfall on their hopeful resolution/new years wish list. It’s too bad that the people still using IE as a primary browser will probably never see it. Here’s hoping for next year!
david
@AppBeacon: I’d never say that Moo was going under! ;)
Keith Wolf
Despite my hopes and dreams for an IE6-less world, my main project will continue to require me to test primarily in 5.5 & 6… internal corporate networks, at least my company’s, just don’t seem to learn.

Hope you had a good new year, and I am glad to have found your blog.
AppBeacon
@Keith Wolf – Wow! 5.5 still? That really sucks.
Agitationist
You want predictions? Now THESE are predictions:
http://agitationist.com/2009-predictions-for-the-interweb
Inspired partially by your post (link love in line one!)…
LockWesMonster
I don’t see why Microsoft couldn’t release browser updates that fix PNG/other css issues for IE6 and IE7 when they recently had the critical update for all of their browsers. It seemed like a convenient time to roll something out. I really wish that anyone who installed the Zero Day Attack update would have been automatically updated to IE7.

But that would be too simple, wouldn’t it?