The authors assertion that 'web APIs' can make desktop apps a replacement for web apps doesn't make any sense. Without the web app their are no APIs, Tweetie ma

The authors assertion that 'web APIs' can make desktop apps a replacement for web apps doesn't make any sense. Without the web app their are no APIs, Tweetie may be a great app but it can't function without Twitter. The power of web apps is in the interoperability and reach. The fact that I can access an app with a desktop interface, or through a browser, or on my phone, or on another browser is what makes web apps 'win'. A Desktop app using 'web apis' is just an extension of a successful web app, but that's fine, it's all about building the right on-ramp for your users. Whatever gets them using the app is the right answer. But whether you're accessing it through a browser or native interface the web has won, there is no refuting that.