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I still don't understand why this type of native app exists. If it can be a website, it should be a website. Tech really does obey "worse is better" in the we

I still don't understand why this type of native app exists. If it can be a website, it should be a website. Tech really does obey "worse is better" in the weirdest ways. Don't "web apps" exist to solve the "problems" of native apps? Yet 30 years later we're back to downloading native apps despite all of the downsides, but ironically these native apps are basically just showing a website anyway, but with none of the web advantages.

gregmac 4y ago
What's described here is not a website; it's not even HTML (it's "HXML" [1] ) Ignoring that, and addressing your question: there are several things apps can do that websites can't, even if the app is really just a wrapped/packaged website (and actually HTML): Native notifications Background tasks Full access to sensors Access to file system and contact lists Handler for system actions Offline support (though this requires more work beyond a mere 'wrapper') Also, don't underestimate the marketing/branding impact of having an app icon that's always there. Sure, you can get users to bookmark a site, but it's a very different action from having an app icon, and it opens and works in a different way. To techies this is a rather pointless distinction, but to most users this is huge. [1] https://hyperview.org/docs/example_index https://hyperview.org/docs/example_index
- jlarocco 4y ago
  Sure, it's not exactly HTML, but looking at the examples it might as well be. But what prompted my post was the opening section of this page https://hyperview.org/docs/guide_introduction https://hyperview.org/docs/guide_introduction where they complain about their web developer and mobile app developer productivity. Why have a mobile app at all in that case?
  - RussianCow 4y ago
    > Sure, it's not exactly HTML, but looking at the examples it might as well be. The language itself doesn't really matter; that's not the interesting part. The fact that the UI is rendered natively on each client platform is what makes this project interesting. > ...they complain about their web developer and mobile app developer productivity. Why have a mobile app at all in that case? Because the business requires it? I'm not sure how that has anything to do with productivity.
ralusek 4y ago
Most apps should be websites, but the only reason many of us build apps is to get into the app store. Most normies, for better or for worse, like applications to be launchable applications from their home screen. And for most normies, that concept is synonymous with applications they downloaded from the app store. If Apple allowed PWAs in the app store, 99% of apps could just be websites.
- jlarocco 4y ago
  Blaming it on the user is a cop out. At the end of the day they're using the system that we created, and they use it the way we tell them to, so we can hardly blame them for the design decisions we made. For example, there's no technical reason bookmarks can't be added to the home screen via the app store, and appear more or less identically to apps.

gregmac 4y ago

What's described here is not a website; it's not even HTML (it's "HXML" [1] ) Ignoring that, and addressing your question: there are several things apps can do that websites can't, even if the app is really just a wrapped/packaged website (and actually HTML): Native notifications Background tasks Full access to sensors Access to file system and contact lists Handler for system actions Offline support (though this requires more work beyond a mere 'wrapper') Also, don't underestimate the marketing/branding impact of having an app icon that's always there. Sure, you can get users to bookmark a site, but it's a very different action from having an app icon, and it opens and works in a different way. To techies this is a rather pointless distinction, but to most users this is huge. [1] https://hyperview.org/docs/example_index https://hyperview.org/docs/example_index

jlarocco 4y ago
Sure, it's not exactly HTML, but looking at the examples it might as well be. But what prompted my post was the opening section of this page https://hyperview.org/docs/guide_introduction https://hyperview.org/docs/guide_introduction where they complain about their web developer and mobile app developer productivity. Why have a mobile app at all in that case?
- RussianCow 4y ago
  > Sure, it's not exactly HTML, but looking at the examples it might as well be. The language itself doesn't really matter; that's not the interesting part. The fact that the UI is rendered natively on each client platform is what makes this project interesting. > ...they complain about their web developer and mobile app developer productivity. Why have a mobile app at all in that case? Because the business requires it? I'm not sure how that has anything to do with productivity.

ralusek 4y ago

Most apps should be websites, but the only reason many of us build apps is to get into the app store. Most normies, for better or for worse, like applications to be launchable applications from their home screen. And for most normies, that concept is synonymous with applications they downloaded from the app store. If Apple allowed PWAs in the app store, 99% of apps could just be websites.

jlarocco 4y ago
Blaming it on the user is a cop out. At the end of the day they're using the system that we created, and they use it the way we tell them to, so we can hardly blame them for the design decisions we made. For example, there's no technical reason bookmarks can't be added to the home screen via the app store, and appear more or less identically to apps.