His examples tend to focus on sources of data. Arguably, a desktop program doesn't have to care where its data comes from, and it doesn't even directly need we

His examples tend to focus on sources of data. Arguably, a desktop program doesn't have to care where its data comes from, and it doesn't even directly need web features to be smart. For instance, what is the difference, really, between using address book data that's entered entirely manually by the user, and data that may have been partially synchronized from somewhere on the web? As long as it ends up in the format the program expects, it can appear "smart". The program itself doesn't need a sync feature, as long as something can sync that understands its formats. So the issue, to me, is that programs just need more open data formats, and there need to be more handy services (like sync programs) that deal with those formats.