* Desktop Notifications - This is solved, I wrote one myself[1] Try using existing Java/Browser technology. I would suggest this: Each compatible web page h

* Desktop Notifications - This is solved, I wrote one myself[1] Try using existing Java/Browser technology. I would suggest this: Each compatible web page has a signed applet which can also run resident on the remote machine via Webstart. If the server is not listening yet, start it. If it is listening, send it a message. The Webstart remote applet then displays the message in the GUI. My server just bound to a range of well known sockets, and the clients tried each one in turn. Try to keep it simple. I just wrote a string with a carriage return to the socket. No XML, no heaviweight protocol. * Native Widgets - tough to get right As soon as you start having native widgets, you cross over into having the users preferences honoured. Great for user, hard for site-consistency and support. Joel Spolksy recommends a complex setup[2] , just to get it right. This may be a little challenging for the average webapp. Admirable but tough. * Payments Good suggestions from the article. A bigger problem I see is the large payment processing fees levied by each different payment provider For instance £0.20 per transaction when payment is via Debit Cards in UK. If you're selling small items, that can be 35% of the price!! --- [1] These days I use it to tell me when my ant builds have finished [2] http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000306.html http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000306.html