Read/WriteWeb on Desktop vs. Browser apps

Filed under: Internet, Utilities, News, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Productivity, Web services

Read/WriteWeb on Desktop vs. Browser apps

by David Chartier Sep 9th 2006

For many of our daily tasks, the eternal debate (well, 'eternal' meaning 'over the last couple years') has plagued us all: whether to use a desktop app, or a web app? Both offer significant advantages, but not without equally constraining drawbacks. Read/WriteWeb, a tech blog by Richard MacManus, feels our pain, and has posted an in-depth perspective on the issue titled Webified Desktop Apps vs Browser-based Apps, as well as a poll to help readers voice their choice.

Richard delves into the dynamics of either side of the issue, includes quotes from other web notables and offers succinct roundups of both webified desktop apps and desktopified web services to demonstrate his ultimate point that neither aspect of computing is going to disappear anytime soon. It's an interesting read for sure, with some solid points to consider when arriving at the crossroads of the web and the desktop. Check it out.

Tags: applications, apps, data, debates, desktop, web 2.0, Web2.0, workflow

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Luke said 6:27AM on 9-10-2006

I'm for browser based apps, except web based operating systems. Writely is a very good example of what web based applications can do. You never lose data, you can access it everywhere. Connectivitity should not be seen as a drawback because the world is getting more and more connected everyday.

Fred said 8:58AM on 9-11-2006

Anyone who moves regularly between different computers (work/home/travel) has to find value in web apps, if they can offer sufficient functionality, security and ease of data import/export, etc. These things seem to be improving fast.

The article emphasises the unreliability of online services, but it's also true that more I have online, the less vulnerable I am to real-world surprises like fire, theft, lightning strikes and disk errors.

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