If Walmart and LinkedIn are using Node, does that mean Node is mainstream?
I'm testing 106 Miles' bookmarklet (it's experimental and you can find it on the Dashboard) to import this quote from Walmart about LinkedIn's use of Node in mobile apps:
While the mobile team did consider using HTML5 for Walmart’s mobile apps, they found it wanting. “We haven’t seen people create what we want for retail in an HTML5 app,” said Galbraith. “For us, hybrid is more interesting in something like what the LinkedIn app has done… it’s the same UI across all platforms, but it has a native experience.”
(Galbraith is referencing LinkedIn’s Node-powered mobile app, which skillfully blends native-running shells with web-based pages and content.)
the use of node and html5 are almost orthogonal considerations
Could it mean Walmart has some early adopters?
Agreed, the use of Node,js and html5 are almost orthogonal.
And yes, Walmart hired Dion Almaer and Ben Galbraith.
The earliest of early adopters. :)
Honestly, I'm a bit confused by their relation of HTML5 to Node. Are they suggesting that Node is so great because it's the solution to their front end needs? Keeping the UI the same between multiple environments?
Not being familiar with how Node works, I'm just speculating here, but they probably need to use something because keeping the UI the same between multiple environments was important to the company (feel free to contact me offline for details.)
And for what it's worth - IMHO, the user experience with LinkedIn's mobile app is less than optimal, especially with Search. What good is "skillfully blending native-running shells with web-based pages and content" if the overall UX is awful? I much prefer using the web. Feel free to disagree; just sayin':)
I think they are suggesting that reporters aren't technical and often have no idea what anything they are reporting means.
They're suggested that there are still many choices when building a mobile app on iOS or Android.
As an alternative to building native apps, frameworks like PhoneGap and Titanium offer a structure for an HTML5-based approach...
The journalist then took the opportunity to note that LinkedIn uses Node as part of its mobile app, but as Andrew points out, the choice of node is separate.
As Lisa said, it doesn't matter what technology one chooses if the user experience is subpar.
For enterprise adoption, Walmart IT dept. has been known to be in relatively early side of curve.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_lifecycle
Which could mean crossing the chasm time for Node (or the Open Source equivalent).
Server side javascript and server side php both disgust me. Completely and thoroughly.
