4 ms·

I find it kind of strange to restrain the rather unlimited possibilities of web pages and web apps to the small subset of interaction patterns that the OS GUI f

I find it kind of strange to restrain the rather unlimited possibilities of web pages and web apps to the small subset of interaction patterns that the OS GUI field allows - i have been way more impressed by all the slick, simple interfaces i found in web apps than by recent desktop developments. I wish the ease and beauty and possibilities of web dev would influence the desktop, rather than the other way around.

kennywinker 16y ago
I agree trying to make desktop style apps in-browser doesn't work, but I don't think the answer is make desktop apps more like browser apps. I can't think of a browser app that I would tolerate if it was presented as a desktop one... I except a -lot- more on the desktop.
- hermanthegerman 16y ago
  Hmm.. web apps are usually half app, half information system, which really supports help systems and stuff like that. I like the way they support me, as connected information and easily provided context is ubiquitous, while desktop apps always give me this feeling that they follow too strict rules to match stuff that probably doesnt need the framework at all..
- Luecke 16y ago
  here are a few that I use all the time… http://githubissues.heroku.com http://githubissues.heroku.com (a desktop version of this exact app exists) http://280slides.com/ http://280slides.com/ http://picsengine.com/ http://picsengine.com/ It's funny because you're willing to tolerate a lot more crap on the desktop all the time. If a web app has a "loading" screen you say "IT TAKES TOO LONG" even though the desktop counterpart takes twice as long. If the web app UI becomes a bit sluggish people complain, yet desktop UIs become sluggish ALL THE TIME, and no one cares because you're used to it… The reality is, to build a web app you can't just be at par with the desktop counter part, you have to be BETTER. It's an uphill battle, but tools like Cappuccino and even SproutCore will help, but in the end it's still up to you to make the effort to bring your app up to 120%.

kennywinker 16y ago

I agree trying to make desktop style apps in-browser doesn't work, but I don't think the answer is make desktop apps more like browser apps. I can't think of a browser app that I would tolerate if it was presented as a desktop one... I except a -lot- more on the desktop.

hermanthegerman 16y ago
Hmm.. web apps are usually half app, half information system, which really supports help systems and stuff like that. I like the way they support me, as connected information and easily provided context is ubiquitous, while desktop apps always give me this feeling that they follow too strict rules to match stuff that probably doesnt need the framework at all..
Luecke 16y ago
here are a few that I use all the time… http://githubissues.heroku.com http://githubissues.heroku.com (a desktop version of this exact app exists) http://280slides.com/ http://280slides.com/ http://picsengine.com/ http://picsengine.com/ It's funny because you're willing to tolerate a lot more crap on the desktop all the time. If a web app has a "loading" screen you say "IT TAKES TOO LONG" even though the desktop counterpart takes twice as long. If the web app UI becomes a bit sluggish people complain, yet desktop UIs become sluggish ALL THE TIME, and no one cares because you're used to it… The reality is, to build a web app you can't just be at par with the desktop counter part, you have to be BETTER. It's an uphill battle, but tools like Cappuccino and even SproutCore will help, but in the end it's still up to you to make the effort to bring your app up to 120%.