Assaf Arkin writes on lesscode.org:
The Web thrives not because it uses a strict architectural style and a coherent technology stack. It thrives because so many sites pay little attention to REST and choose to focus on their users instead. It thrives because mal-formed HTML pages include GIFs and PNGs and Flash and badly written JavaScript that just works. It thrives because people go on the Web to send e-mail, IM, do VoIP and trade BitTorrent files.
It’s little wonder that TCP/IP and the web are the pragmatists favorite analogs for any architectural discussion. They work with both technical and non-technical people. Mark Pilgrim’s RSS client is a more contemporary example of one of the more important principles that the web has: “I want it work work no matter the validity.” It’s like that corny poster of the frog being eaten by the crane: “Never give up!”
Of course, both have had at least a decade — much more in TCP/IP’s case — to sort out the details. I recall how insanely difficult setting up WinSOCK (is that right?) was in Win95/Win 3.1 before a TCP/IP stack came bundled with Windows. Even after that, getting Windows on the web was a right click rabbit hole. Which was still much simpler than editing flat files on slackware installs.
Perhaps we should start a lessconfig.org blog as well ;>