After giving an excellent overview of what microformats are, he writes:

Much in the same way that operating systems currently associate particular file types with specific applications, future Web browsers are likely going to associate semantically marked up data you encounter on the Web with specific applications, either on your system or online.

This is going to change the way we interact with data on the Web…

I’m a big supporter of microformats, which I use extensively on this website. Microformats provide a standardized way of marking up common data elements, such as contact information or weblog entries. That information is typically hidden, and only encountered by the computer. However, if these plans take hold, that information will be exposed to people in useful ways. For example, if you were browsing my contact information, you could automatically copy those details into your address book with a single click.

This shift transforms web browsers into “information brokers,” further solidifying their position at the center of personal computing. It’s interesting to note that this integration will work with both web applications and desktop applications. Firefox 2 started down this path with its feed subscription mechanism, and with Firefox 3 the capabilities will increase. Whereas once the operating system itself was solely responsible for launching applications, the web browser is taking over that role.

Adobe Flex is an application framework that can be compiled to SWF, and executed by Flash Player. Flex includes a scripting language known as ActionScript, which is based on the ECMAScript language specification. JavaScript is based on the very same specification.

Adobe has long been a favorite amongst designers. However, they have been historically challenged when attempting to attract developers. Some see Flash as only displaying annoying animations, a reputation gained in its early incarnations. Others still see overlap between Flash and AJAX, and reject Flash without recognizing the features that make it unique.

With the recent release of Flash Player 9, and the corresponding Flex framework, Adobe has been working to change these opinions. With this move, they have brought out the wine and roses. By contributing this code, they show that they are willing to let Flash and AJAX live harmoniously, each technology strengthening the other.

I’ve assembled the following set of resources containing information and technical details regarding the announcement:

• Adobe, Mozilla, and Tamarin by Frank Hecker

  Hecker, executive director of the Mozilla Foundation, gives an overview of what the announcement means, and explains why these “sustaining innovations” are critical to the progress of web development.

• Project Tamarin by Brendan Eich

  Eich, creator of JavaScript and lead technologist at Mozilla, gives credit to the engineers at Adobe and notes that a proof-of-concept integration has already been completed.

• SpiderMonkey’s relative Tamarin joins the family by Tinic Uro

  Uro, an engineer on the Flash Player at Adobe, outlines a few technical details as to how the code base will be utilized by both Adobe and Mozilla going forward.

• Tamarin Implications by Ted Patrick

  Patrick, also employed by Adobe, presents a visual diagram of the components present in AVM2. He also speculates on what the open source release will mean for ECMAScript in the future.

• Adobe Open Sources JavaScript Engine in Mozilla Foundation at Ajaxian

  The comments on this article contain a dialog between Brendan Eich and Jim Ray. Eich gives a brief description on how the VM can be utilized within Firefox and other projects.

Included in the buzz surrounding the release are a couple of noteworthy articles. Mitchell Baker, CEO of Mozilla, wrote an entry on her blog that highlights the ideals and features that make Firefox special. Read/WriteWeb has an interview with Chris Beard, VP of Products at Mozilla.

I’m reminded of Firefox 1.0, which was released almost two years ago, on November 9, 2004. As part of the marketing effort for that release, Mozilla placed a two-page ad in the December 16th edition of The New York Times. Much of the funding for that ad came from donations by the community, including a small $20 contribution made by myself. As an incentive, contributors names were printed in the advertisement, which is available as a PDF.

Since that initial release, Firefox has grown to have over 70 million users. It spurred a new wave of innovation on the web, and serves as a driving force in moving the browser towards a full-fledged platform. Congratulations to the team at Mozilla, and thank you for your efforts.