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Reading JQuery Sources

JQuery has become the stdlib of Javascript. After reading the jQuery docs, the next level of understanding comes from reading the code.

Here is an excellent new tool for reading the jQuery source, thanks to James Padolsey.

Food for Thought: International jQuery Use

On going back and looking at the top regions in which 'jquery' is a topic of Google searches, I find it interesting - and maybe worrying for U.S. internet innovators - that none of the top 6 jQuery cities of the world are in the U.S...

The top five jQuery cities:

1. Delhi, India
2. Mumbai, India
3. Beijing, China
4. Moscow, Russia
5. Taipei, Taiwan

JQuery, which emerged in 2006 as the best way to write robust javascript that really leverages browser virtual machines, is not an example of yesterday's technology. It is representative of the leading edge, something that is emerging and evolving quickly. Something that will be tomorrow's standard.

Asia No Longer Trails

The fact that India, China, Russia and Taiwan are all ahead of San Francisco or Seattle software engineering communities in adopting the next great thing means that the software expertise in these countries is no longer trailing. It reminds me of the story that has been unrolling in solar and wind power and battery expertise recently, and display technology before that. Is the same story that played out in automotive engineering a couple decades ago.

Why is it happening so quickly? Because the Internet changes everything, especially the education of engineers. Anybody who can read a webpage can learn to use jQuery or any other hot new technology. I love being able to call up any article about the analysis of high-performance random number generators from my living room. But anybody else in the world can do the same. Having Widner Library or the MIT Media Lab next door is no longer such a great advantage.

For all things tech, the world is now playing on a level playing field with Silicon Valley.

Posted by David at February 1, 2010 07:23 AM