With more and more applications being developed for the Web, it is now possible to run Web applications off your computer, as if they were desktop applications. There is no need to load a browser and so on.

For the interested, this is achieved via the Prism frontend for the XULRunner application, currently in beta stage in Mozilla Labs.

This is going to be a HowTo to use Web applications in Prism. I will use Google’s new English to Devangari transliteration web-application as an example, and as a goody, I’ll include the new Google Talk Gadget (which allows Group chats and better integration with Google services).

Despite the coolness of this method, it is easy as 1,2,3 steps. Look at the video to have a visual walkthrough. (I know this is too simple to need a visual walkthrough, but I just wanted to try my new screencaster )

[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgD0hzzJ5Qk"]

1. First , you’ll have to get Prism, if you dont already have it : Here’s the link for the Windows Installer and the Mac Installer . Download, install and you should be done in about 2 minutes.

2. Next, get download this extremely small 4 kb file for (right click, Save Link as/Save as) Google Indic Transliteration Service and this one for the Google Talk Gadget. Double click them and watch the wonders.

3. If you look down in each on the opened windows, you’ll see a small wheel/cog icon. Clicking on it gives you the “Install to Desktop” option. Selecting that will let you place shortcuts to your webapps onto the computer in your Start Menu or Desktop etc. If you do this, you no longer need the Original Webapp file you downloaded to run the applications.

Thats it, almost any web-based application can be used with Prism, feel free to add your own suggestions!