Is there any reason for desktop apps anymore?

Why is it that everything I read in this blog pisses me off?

Yes. Of course there is. We aren't nearly at the point yet where the Internet works as quickly as hardware. We don't have a world with wonderful connections everywhere. Desktop apps are leagues faster in every regard. And I'd say we need a long time before that'll be fixed.

Plus, once you work inside a web browser, you don't just have the layer abstraction, you have a visual abstraction. Know what I like about Mail and Newsfire? The fact that they have ultraminimal interfaces for what they do. When I stick that inside Safari, I suddenly have something that's uglier than the original thing was. Even MobileMe suffers from that visually.

For somebody whose URL would imply a high level of criticism, which is always good, these posts always seem to advocate very sucky things.

> Imagine slightly faster computers, faster virtual machines, and the ability for web apps to, with appropriate permissions, access local resources like storage and notification services. Then imagine browser windows without all that browser chrome (buttons an such around the edges so the windows look like app windows).

Is there any reason for trucks anymore?

Imagine a car, but much more powerful, and with a big trailer attached to it.

I basically agree with the author, because:

1) as he says, with slightly faster computers, for more and more applications the speed will not be an issue. 2) Internet connection will be more common in the future (my prediction) 3) Even if you don't have Internet connection temporarily, you can work offline (google gears technology) and sync when you connect.

The advantages are: 1) Your data are online, so accessible from any computer without additional work. 2) The software itself is online, no need to install/maintain it.

Unlike all the soft suburban dwelling people, some of us realize there is a real world where things go wrong, and being able to still use your computer for critical things can be a life saver. Just ask the military, even if you SIPRNET is down you still want to pull up imagery, print out maps and plan your mission to go kill the guys who made our power fail.

Physical devices is one reason. Doing firmware updates is impossible with a web app. It might seem like a small thing, but look at how well Apple is using iTunes and QuickTime to create a beechhead in Windows. (QT needs graphic card and audio access, iTunes needs USB access)

needing 10 million different logins... OpenID adoption is still slow.

Until the Facebooks and MySpaces get everyone used to using apps and not just dinky games, this will still be a big problem.

You're kidding, right?

You're kidding, right?

Yes.