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Right but how does that help users? If you don’t have the resources to build the right interfaces for them, then the business model isn’t working. Telling your

Right but how does that help users? If you don’t have the resources to build the right interfaces for them, then the business model isn’t working. Telling your customers to install a pwa is a terrible user experience and borderline rude

The_Colonel 6y ago
Not everyone is building a next Instagram for hundreds of millions users. There's a long tail of smaller business niches which might sustain a solo developer / small company and there having one codebase is obviously critical.
_ink_ 6y ago
Rude is telling developers their business model is not good, because they cannot affort to build native apps for Windows, Mac, Gnome, Kde, Android, iOS and web. If you cannot work with PWAs maybe you just aren't in the targeted user group.
doteka 6y ago
Hard disagree for the long tail of apps. My company’s payroll admin system uses a PWA as a mobile interface. I don’t need slick ui there, I need to view my payslips (click a link to open a pdf) and request time off (fill in a 4-field form). It’s perfectly fine for this usecase and there is no conceivable business value in pouring more resources into it. News flash: a majority of applications is simple CRUD like this. They don’t need a native UI or performance. They just need an icon on your homescreen.
twobitshifter 6y ago
Actually I find that the user experience on PWAs and Electron apps is better than that on native desktop apps. Developers have always been challenged in building desktop apps because the available toolkits are generally crusty, limited, and complex. GTK, TK, QT, Windows Forms, don’t compare well against what can be done in the DOM.
postalrat 6y ago
Nobody is telling users to install a PWA. Just because a site has all the features to be considered a PWA doesn't mean your user must use them. But they are telling users to install apps. Sites that depend on advertising want to force the app down your throat to eliminate ad blockers and to better track you.

The_Colonel 6y ago

Not everyone is building a next Instagram for hundreds of millions users. There's a long tail of smaller business niches which might sustain a solo developer / small company and there having one codebase is obviously critical.

_ink_ 6y ago

Rude is telling developers their business model is not good, because they cannot affort to build native apps for Windows, Mac, Gnome, Kde, Android, iOS and web. If you cannot work with PWAs maybe you just aren't in the targeted user group.

doteka 6y ago

Hard disagree for the long tail of apps. My company’s payroll admin system uses a PWA as a mobile interface. I don’t need slick ui there, I need to view my payslips (click a link to open a pdf) and request time off (fill in a 4-field form). It’s perfectly fine for this usecase and there is no conceivable business value in pouring more resources into it. News flash: a majority of applications is simple CRUD like this. They don’t need a native UI or performance. They just need an icon on your homescreen.

twobitshifter 6y ago

Actually I find that the user experience on PWAs and Electron apps is better than that on native desktop apps. Developers have always been challenged in building desktop apps because the available toolkits are generally crusty, limited, and complex. GTK, TK, QT, Windows Forms, don’t compare well against what can be done in the DOM.

postalrat 6y ago

Nobody is telling users to install a PWA. Just because a site has all the features to be considered a PWA doesn't mean your user must use them. But they are telling users to install apps. Sites that depend on advertising want to force the app down your throat to eliminate ad blockers and to better track you.