4 ms·

> "Does anyone really think that mobile games would be better off written to run in web browser tabs?" I do! There is nothing to install; it will be available

> "Does anyone really think that mobile games would be better off written to run in web browser tabs?" I do! There is nothing to install; it will be available anywhere and work on any device, not just in the MegaCorp App Store for certain devices; it's probably more secure since there are no permission prompts that might sneak certain capabilities past you; you can publish whatever content you want without having to get prior approval; you can update whenever you like without having to wait for acceptance. Obviously there are some practical concerns (performance, features, monetisation etc), but things are getting better. E.g. on the tech side, WebGL is now available on pretty much every mobile OS except iOS (for Android, use Chrome), 'add to homescreen' gives you an app-like icon and fullscreen experience on both iOS and Android (again with Chrome), and fullscreen API support gives you an app-like experience even from the browser itself. I think in the long run that the mobile web and native apps will have approximately the same capabilities for the majority of use cases, and the key differences will only be distribution and monetisation - both of which are solvable (startup idea anyone?) For me, the main point is the web has always been an open platform you can do what you like with. The control is all with the developer. App stores take that control away, locking your app in a vendor-specific walled garden - assuming they let you in - which they can then evict you from at any time for any reason. Surely that's not better than the web?

Touche 13y ago
2048 is doing fine as a web app.
gurkendoktor 13y ago
> it's probably more secure since there are no permission prompts that might sneak certain capabilities past you On the other hand, most people only use one browser with one shared cookie store, which makes it much easier to be tracked than by a set of separate apps.
stonogo 13y ago
There is nothing to install; it will be available anywhere and work on any device, Except the web browser, and a "full-featured" web browser is more complex to implement than some entire operating systems. it's probably more secure There is no such thing as 'probably secure.' And while after herculean effort the browser projects (which nowadays can be counted on the fingers of one hand, even if you're missing a finger or two) might be making the code more secure, the industry as a whole has been busily creating a minefield for twenty years in which users are supposed to type personal information into some sites, but not others, with no workable system to decide which sites are trustworthy. (If facebook started using self-signing keys, do you really think it would hurt usage in a more than single-digit percentage?) you can publish whatever content you want without having to get prior approval; you can update whenever you like without having to wait for acceptance. Also true for apps, or as they've been known in the past, "programs." WebGL is now available on pretty much every mobile OS except iOS and opengl is available even there, and you don't have to choose a specific browser to use it anywhere. I think in the long run that the mobile web and native apps will have approximately the same capabilities for the majority of use cases I agree with you, but only because native apps all embed browser cores, and are largely repackaged websites munged to work partially on-device. For me, the main point is the web has always been an open platform you can do what you like with. The control is all with the developer. This is a stunningly anti-user sentiment. * App stores take that control away, locking your app in a vendor-specific walled garden* This is another way of saying "app stores maintain quality control" -- something invaluable to people who are not web developers. Surely that's not better than the web? Maybe not for programmers. For users it's a godsend.
gdilla 13y ago
That makes total sense when you have a nice, fat, mostly reliable internet connection. On mobile, connections are spotty at best, and then don't exist at all on airplanes, in tunnels, subways, etc. Many games are enjoyable to kill time in exactly these situations. The annoyance alone of mobile network performance is worth it to use native apps for many a task.
- daleharvey 13y ago
  Web Apps in absolutely no way means 'requires an internet connection to function'
  - gdilla 13y ago
    yet they often do.

Touche 13y ago

2048 is doing fine as a web app.

gurkendoktor 13y ago

> it's probably more secure since there are no permission prompts that might sneak certain capabilities past you On the other hand, most people only use one browser with one shared cookie store, which makes it much easier to be tracked than by a set of separate apps.

stonogo 13y ago

There is nothing to install; it will be available anywhere and work on any device, Except the web browser, and a "full-featured" web browser is more complex to implement than some entire operating systems. it's probably more secure There is no such thing as 'probably secure.' And while after herculean effort the browser projects (which nowadays can be counted on the fingers of one hand, even if you're missing a finger or two) might be making the code more secure, the industry as a whole has been busily creating a minefield for twenty years in which users are supposed to type personal information into some sites, but not others, with no workable system to decide which sites are trustworthy. (If facebook started using self-signing keys, do you really think it would hurt usage in a more than single-digit percentage?) you can publish whatever content you want without having to get prior approval; you can update whenever you like without having to wait for acceptance. Also true for apps, or as they've been known in the past, "programs." WebGL is now available on pretty much every mobile OS except iOS and opengl is available even there, and you don't have to choose a specific browser to use it anywhere. I think in the long run that the mobile web and native apps will have approximately the same capabilities for the majority of use cases I agree with you, but only because native apps all embed browser cores, and are largely repackaged websites munged to work partially on-device. For me, the main point is the web has always been an open platform you can do what you like with. The control is all with the developer. This is a stunningly anti-user sentiment. * App stores take that control away, locking your app in a vendor-specific walled garden* This is another way of saying "app stores maintain quality control" -- something invaluable to people who are not web developers. Surely that's not better than the web? Maybe not for programmers. For users it's a godsend.

gdilla 13y ago

That makes total sense when you have a nice, fat, mostly reliable internet connection. On mobile, connections are spotty at best, and then don't exist at all on airplanes, in tunnels, subways, etc. Many games are enjoyable to kill time in exactly these situations. The annoyance alone of mobile network performance is worth it to use native apps for many a task.

daleharvey 13y ago
Web Apps in absolutely no way means 'requires an internet connection to function'
- gdilla 13y ago
  yet they often do.