Numerous trends in application development – both Web applications and desktop applications – are emerging. A loose collection of many of these has been dubbed as “Web 2.0,” in recognition of their impact on Web applications in particular. However there are many additional trends that are coalescing to drive a profound change in the way applications are being designed, delivered, and updated.

A “Mashup” of Trendy Terms

Both Adobe and Microsoft are actively pursuing opportunities presented by “Web 2.0” and other application development trends. Microsoft’s efforts are centered around the Window Presentation Foundation, and Adobe’s efforts are centered around their flagship Flex and Flash products, as well as the emerging “Apollo” application runtime environment. The list of trends, both over-hyped and under-hyped for their impact on applications, includes:

• Mashup. Originally coined by DJs to define new music comprised of snippets of other songs, a mashup is the result of combining existing applications and services to produce new value beyond the intended use of the constituent parts and services. The promise is that the entire Internet (and enterprise application portfolio) becomes an application platform.