12 ms·

Seems like the only argument here is: “web apps are slow and use a lot of resources” This isn’t a great argument by itself. There are many reasons that web app

Seems like the only argument here is: “web apps are slow and use a lot of resources” This isn’t a great argument by itself. There are many reasons that web apps are superior and more convenient than desktop apps. If this wasn’t the case, then why are web apps winning? I don’t want to download and execute a binary just to read my email, make a video call, or read the news. Web apps are also cross platform. You can pretty much guarantee that gmail will work the same on windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS, and even iOS and android (with some idiosyncrasies). Web apps also update themselves, they take up no space on your computer, and can be customized using browser plugins. I’d take these advantages over saving a few gigs of ram, which I have plenty of.

taeric 6y ago
Objectively, web apps seem to be winning as they let the companies keep control over application and data. With a bonus that they can monitor/track usage. That is, few, if any, technical advantages for users. Just fewer choices, as well.
pmlnr 6y ago
> that gmail will work the same on windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS, and even iOS and android Nope. This is the Java Virtual Machine promise all over again. It didn't work. It doesn't work the same in Safari or Firefox as it does in Chrome.
- thethethethe 6y ago
  Is chrome not consistent across operating systems?
  - pmlnr 6y ago
    Is it not. For example hardware acceleration is terrible under linux.
deergomoo 6y ago
> If this wasn’t the case, then why are web apps winning? Because that’s usually all that’s being provided? I don’t think it’s valid to say web apps are “winning” when in many cases they’re the only 1st party option. I don’t have any figures to back it up but I would not be surprised if the native app versions of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc. see far more use than their equivalent web app versions. > I’d take these advantages over saving a few gigs of ram, which I have plenty of. That’s all well and fine until everyone decides to make the same decision, and suddenly every application needs its own instance of Chromium to run.
cm2187 6y ago
Don't forget that most users do not get to choose what software they have to use (think internal software in a big company, or you have to use whatever company x gives you to deal with their cloud, etc). And most software designers do not use their own products (outside perhaps of software development products). So there is a "good enough for the dog" element in these designs.

taeric 6y ago

Objectively, web apps seem to be winning as they let the companies keep control over application and data. With a bonus that they can monitor/track usage. That is, few, if any, technical advantages for users. Just fewer choices, as well.

pmlnr 6y ago

> that gmail will work the same on windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS, and even iOS and android Nope. This is the Java Virtual Machine promise all over again. It didn't work. It doesn't work the same in Safari or Firefox as it does in Chrome.

thethethethe 6y ago
Is chrome not consistent across operating systems?
- pmlnr 6y ago
  Is it not. For example hardware acceleration is terrible under linux.

deergomoo 6y ago

> If this wasn’t the case, then why are web apps winning? Because that’s usually all that’s being provided? I don’t think it’s valid to say web apps are “winning” when in many cases they’re the only 1st party option. I don’t have any figures to back it up but I would not be surprised if the native app versions of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc. see far more use than their equivalent web app versions. > I’d take these advantages over saving a few gigs of ram, which I have plenty of. That’s all well and fine until everyone decides to make the same decision, and suddenly every application needs its own instance of Chromium to run.

cm2187 6y ago

Don't forget that most users do not get to choose what software they have to use (think internal software in a big company, or you have to use whatever company x gives you to deal with their cloud, etc). And most software designers do not use their own products (outside perhaps of software development products). So there is a "good enough for the dog" element in these designs.