What do you get when you mix HTML, CSS, Javascript, Asynchronous Javascript, a web server, a web browser, interprocess communication, and native application views?

I was on “vacation” during August. I only got to have 5 days of “real” vacation because some stuff cropped up for work but I did do some sort of recreational programming. And I had this idea that seemed like a good idea, and my programmer buddies didn’t immediately shoot it down as being completely stupid, so, I did up a demonstration in Objective-C and it’s called Bottlenose.

Bottlenose is a way to enable graphic designers, and HTML/CSS/Javascript designers, to directly create the interface for a native application. Where a “native application” is something that runs right on the computer, like a work processor (not a web app, ASP, or applet).

I might have used pure java but (a) there’s no good web browser API available for free and (b) Apple’s WebKit is sooo easy to use and well documented. But still - Bottlenose could easily be ported to other platforms. In fact, I want to see it especially on Linux. Because I think that on Linux it could make a big improvement in the UIs if the graphics people could write it themselves. That is, after all, the Linux philosophy.

Anyway, I have this idea of running a contest to develop UIs for the demo that are better than the one I made. I’ll probably even throw in a valuable prize of some sort (some books?) for the winner, and post all of the good entries.

If you have any comments at all, or think it’s a good/bad idea, feel free to contact me .