> Need a js library? JQuery. period

Sure, if you love writing the same boiler plate code over and over again to make sure your dom is updated and your data is synced. JS frameworks are solving a problem, whether or not people like that there are so many out there. We are in the early days, and of course there's going to be a lot of competition. A few will rise to the top and become standards. You know, there were quite a few competing JS libraries before JQuery became so popular..

What I mean is "don't use a jQuery competitor (or jQuery 'sized' tool) in place of jQuery"

Sure, if you need something else/more use it, still I've been burned by those "wonderful js frameworks" and I'll make sure to not use them unless needed and thoroughly evaluated.

Well, at some point, there will emerge the "jquery of js frameworks."

> And focus on the backend, a competent backend development will eat your whatever.js "specialist" except for the most specific cases

These days backend is pretty straight forward, mature, and usually easy compared to client side.

True, for CRUD apps (which are most of them)

Still, the back end sees complexity the front-end doesn't. (it is mostly irrelevant for the Facebook frontend if they have hundreds or millions of servers - it certainly has an effect though)

mootools documentation is fine. It's just different and therefore "harder". Has nothing to do with your ability to "ship" it's you're lack of knowledge of the library that's the problem. Not the library.

If you can't work a saw it doesn't mean the saw sucks and scissors work better. It means you can't work a saw.

that was probably a bad analogy but I can't think of any better one atm.

'mootools documentation is fine. It's just different and therefore "harder"'

I think I know what you mean, the docs are mostly a reference documentation from what it seems.

But the learning curve is steeper, especially with lack of documentation focused on the beginner.

I know, Django docs are similar (but less worse in this aspect). Still, when you finish the tutorial you don't know where to head.

That's where jQuery shines, it takes you through every step, not to mention it's easier to understand. Hence, more plugins and more users.

"It means you can't work a saw". At this day and age, "saw manufacturers" have to be concerned about the easy of use of the saw.

Of course this is an analogy, because js tools are "free", but it's still a nice idea to go for the better cost x benefit in terms of capabilities/community/libraries etc.