John Resig - The Browser Scripting Revolution

I'm learning Javascript just to make a web app. There is nothing hard about it, with lots of resources available. Already knowing Python & Ruby makes things easier for me.

But if people only need to know Python, then web apps will become that much easier to make. I think this is related to the trend for smaller/lighter companies.

More people will think small and make startups if you don't need to know as much to make good applications. Lowering the number of languages needed to make an application would be a significant step in that direction. And making that language Python, which many would agree is one of the easiest languages to learn, will make it that much easier.

Two thoughts: First of all, I'm a Python fan, and would like to use it client-side. But the truth is that ECMAScript ain't that bad, it's just a little strange. I'm not at all convinced that it's a huge win to use Python over ECMAScript, although I'd choose to, given the opportunity.

Secondly, this is cool, but if it depends on users installing a plug-in to IE for anything to happen, it's unlikely to amount to much. I don't see devs using anything (except Flash) that forces their users to choose between installing something (scary!) or going to another site.

 should these projects succeed the resulting effect upon
 the web development industry will be incalculable

Some coders will use Python instead of Javascript. Users wont even notice. "Revolution" might be a bit overstated.

if major browsers can't standardize on a single language, what is the chance of standardizing on a dozen of them?

seriously, if that guy's family name did not sound like "Lessig", nobody would bother to read it.