When it comes to the thorny problem of Web designer vs developer, it turns out that your choice of platform often reveals where the power lies.

In "Developers vs. designers: Who wins?" Neil McAllister writes: "Particularly for RIAs (rich Internet applications), where form and function share equal billing, team dynamics can make or break a project. Little wonder, then, that Adobe, Microsoft, and Sun are all racing to market with new tools and platforms aimed at helping developers and designers meet each other halfway."

Unfortunately, what McAllister finds upon examining those solutions is that "though well intentioned, these wonder products aren't likely to solve anything. ...which of these three technologies you choose is going to rest squarely on who wears the pants in your organization.

"Web design firms whose clients want slick advertising and marketing will value presentation foremost and go with Adobe. Hard-core Microsoft shops will cross their fingers and pepper Monster.com with openings for Silverlight-savvy designers. And staunch Java developers will rush headlong to JavaFX and hope that the Photoshop plug-ins work as advertised."

Posted by Caroline Craig on May 8, 2008 06:27 AM