I think that when one is developing a web-based product, a working internet connection is a very reasonable assumption. If that's not the case, it's pointless

I think that when one is developing a web-based product, a working internet connection is a very reasonable assumption. If that's not the case, it's pointless to create a web-based product. Just offer the full thing as an app and a simple web UI. I looked at the WaPo link that you posted and it seems to be exactly this type of product with an identity crysis - my browser already allows me to save pages for later reading and if that won't work, there are a multitude of offline reading apps to choose from, I don't need a WaPo "progressively enhanced" app for that.