Windows

Web Apps vs. Desktop Apps

Posted by on Nov 8, 2006 | 2 Comments

Which is better, a Web app – a product or service that runs within your Web browser – or a desktop app – a downloadable program for your personal computer? A Gnomie named Gress said your mileage may vary:

I also agree with Ozzie on the impotance of web-based apps: they will complement, not replace, local applications. While he looked at it strictly from a business opportunity, I think that people tend to outgrow this current popularity of always “keeping in touch” with everybody all the time. Instead, we find that it is important to gather a team for certain jobs, just as it is important to have a close-knit “team” to relate with in everyday affairs. But it is also important to be able to work on our own without constant feedback. This translates to local usage continuing to be the backbone of computing with the networked apps having a niche of their own.

OTOH, it may be just my age showing since I greww up in the age of rugged individualism and cannot relate to having to talk to someone else to find out how I feel about things. I also want to work with others so that we can augment our abilities, not relate to each other.

So, what do you think?

[tags]web apps, web 2.0, browser apps, desktop app, app, application[/tags]

  • Johan Kloosterman

    First: Recently I have moved all my e-mail to the internet (Yahoo). I think it is a lot more efficient than storing message in something like Outlook (what ever version). I only use Outlook for agenda and tasks.

    Second: All my files are backed up on the internet (Carbonite). That is much more disaster proof that keeping DVDs somewhere in my house or office.

    Third: Having my e-mail and files on the internet, I might as well use web applications. I don’t think that what is available on the web as word processors, spreadsheets and presentation sofware is very good at this moment. But that may change. Sometimes connections are not very good and working with web based applications goes slow. I think that longer term I do prefer to have the option to work on line (web based) and off line (local install).

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