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I'd say the opposite is true. With more powerful browsers, you are making web applications more powerful and remove the need for a desktop app. Web apps, if bu

I'd say the opposite is true. With more powerful browsers, you are making web applications more powerful and remove the need for a desktop app. Web apps, if built correctly, are probably more secure than desktop apps. Especially considering that you completely remove the need for user updates, since the website is updated by the developers. Plus, webbrowsers implement a proper permissions model unlike native apps, especially on Android, used to do.

bjoli 7y ago
Sure, web browsers implement a proper permission model, but: the surface of a browser is enormous. Just the sheer magnitude of a modern browser gives me vertigo. Chrome has how many compilers? How much code to handle broken input? Whereas most kernels are easy to understand (even relatively modern ones like seL4), also many parts of a browser are at the frontier of "applied CS". If I were to build something relatively small today, I don't think I would feel safe if it had to run in a browser due to the enormous complexity of a browser. I just don't think it is possible to secure them fully. Writing everything myself at least gives me a false sense of security in the sense that I at least believe I understand what is running :)
- moooo99 7y ago
  Okay, from a software engineering perspective you're 100% right. Browsers are a very complex system and they'll continue to grow. But try to see it from a user perspective. You as a software developer know how your system works. You know what components you used, how to compile and install and how to secure. Your average user (depending on the target audience) doesn't know anything like this. Most users are happy when their current installation works, they often don't want to update, without realizing that this comes with the cost of their security. I feel like webapps are the easier way to keep users with no experience secure.
- saagarjha 7y ago
  > Whereas most kernels are easy to understand Have you taken a look at Linux?!

bjoli 7y ago

Sure, web browsers implement a proper permission model, but: the surface of a browser is enormous. Just the sheer magnitude of a modern browser gives me vertigo. Chrome has how many compilers? How much code to handle broken input? Whereas most kernels are easy to understand (even relatively modern ones like seL4), also many parts of a browser are at the frontier of "applied CS". If I were to build something relatively small today, I don't think I would feel safe if it had to run in a browser due to the enormous complexity of a browser. I just don't think it is possible to secure them fully. Writing everything myself at least gives me a false sense of security in the sense that I at least believe I understand what is running :)

moooo99 7y ago
Okay, from a software engineering perspective you're 100% right. Browsers are a very complex system and they'll continue to grow. But try to see it from a user perspective. You as a software developer know how your system works. You know what components you used, how to compile and install and how to secure. Your average user (depending on the target audience) doesn't know anything like this. Most users are happy when their current installation works, they often don't want to update, without realizing that this comes with the cost of their security. I feel like webapps are the easier way to keep users with no experience secure.
saagarjha 7y ago
> Whereas most kernels are easy to understand Have you taken a look at Linux?!