Understanding WASM, Part 2: Whence WASM

This is a great article describing where web assembly came from, and what promise it holds. It builds up to the pithy quote by Docker founder Solomon Hykes:

"If WASM+WASI existed in 2008, we wouldn't have needed to create Docker. That's how important it is. Webassembly on the server is the future of computing. A standardized system interface was the missing link. Let's hope WASI is up to the task!"

... and ends there. How this WASM-WASI story plays out remains to be seen, but Docker doesn't seem to be the answer. From my (very subjective and biased) point of view, Java gave server programming "extensibility", upload a .jar file without having to restart a server. This convience of updating servlets is something that seems entirely possible with WASM/WASI, but now with safe access to more low-level OS functionality (and maybe on bare metal). I find it an exciting prospect.