Is the browser needed from a technical or usable perspective? I do not know, but it seems difficult to separate that from the economic-architectural aspect, whi

Is the browser needed from a technical or usable perspective? I do not know, but it seems difficult to separate that from the economic-architectural aspect, which really seems important. The browser is 'needed', is valuable, because it is an independent, unowned 'medium' for other products and activity. It allows something more like real competition. That independence is part of the open architecture of the internet that is probably what makes it all so great. . . . and what would an independent rich-client look like? Would that not be a browser pretty much? . . .