4 ms·

There are lots of technical and non technical reasons to prefer native apps, but most of them boil down to a simple thing: better user experience. So sad to se

by rimliu 9y ago

There are lots of technical and non technical reasons to prefer native apps, but most of them boil down to a simple thing: better user experience. So sad to see that “I only have a hammer, let’s approach eveything as a nail” attitude getting so prevalent. “I only know react, lets misuse already misused web tech even more”.

geofft 9y ago
Here's a solid technical / user-experience reason to prefer PWAs: people can fork them and install them on their devices without needing a Mac and a developer account. That is, if you want your app to meaningfully be free software and have all the associated technical benefits, or if you want the option for someone who's better than UX to do it to fork it with low friction, PWAs are significantly better.
- lucasverra 9y ago
  + : - "Here, i present you my simple mobile app that adds value" : URL => exchange of value vs - submit to OS verification => "Here, i present you my simple mobile app that adds value" : URL to OS app/play store => explicit download + build => exchange of value
- rimliu 9y ago
  Billions of people install apps without the Mac or developer account. This devloper-centric view is why we cannot have nice things. Stop for once thinking how to make life easier for the developer, start to think about the end users.
  - geofft 9y ago
    I am thinking about the end users. I am thinking that they should not be held hostage to the tiny number of app developers out there. If an end user has a problem with their app today, they don't have any choice but to throw themselves on the mercy of the developer, or upon the vain hope that other developers will come up with a competing app. If they have a problem with a PWA, they, or more likely their friend or their friend's kid in middle school who's learning HTML, can fix it. Saying "Your app comes in a compiled and encrypted format, it's illegal to decompile it, and anyone making a competing app needs a Mac and $99" is the way to make life easier for the developer.

by rimliu 9y ago

geofft 9y ago

Here's a solid technical / user-experience reason to prefer PWAs: people can fork them and install them on their devices without needing a Mac and a developer account. That is, if you want your app to meaningfully be free software and have all the associated technical benefits, or if you want the option for someone who's better than UX to do it to fork it with low friction, PWAs are significantly better.

lucasverra 9y ago
+ : - "Here, i present you my simple mobile app that adds value" : URL => exchange of value vs - submit to OS verification => "Here, i present you my simple mobile app that adds value" : URL to OS app/play store => explicit download + build => exchange of value
rimliu 9y ago
Billions of people install apps without the Mac or developer account. This devloper-centric view is why we cannot have nice things. Stop for once thinking how to make life easier for the developer, start to think about the end users.
- geofft 9y ago
  I am thinking about the end users. I am thinking that they should not be held hostage to the tiny number of app developers out there. If an end user has a problem with their app today, they don't have any choice but to throw themselves on the mercy of the developer, or upon the vain hope that other developers will come up with a competing app. If they have a problem with a PWA, they, or more likely their friend or their friend's kid in middle school who's learning HTML, can fix it. Saying "Your app comes in a compiled and encrypted format, it's illegal to decompile it, and anyone making a competing app needs a Mac and $99" is the way to make life easier for the developer.