Landscape Is Changing For Microsoft and Google

ReadWriteWeb writes "John Milan, Senior Software Architect and founder of TeamDirection, writes about the convergence of Web and Desktop. He argues that Microsoft and Google are focusing so much on each other, that both will either fail to notice the landscape is changing underfoot — or will be unable to adapt quickly enough. The article concludes that the days of purely desktop-based applications are clearly numbered, but so are the days of exclusively web-based apps. Both Microsoft and Google are racing toward a happy medium. However, they aren't the only players in town, not by a long shot. Both Mozilla and Adobe are well positioned to take advantage of desktop and web convergence."

Comments

I'll use desktop applications as long as I can.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll continue to use purely desktop/workstation applications as long as I possibly can.

I have not been impressed by any of the Web-based applications, especially those that make heavy use of AJAX. I've found them to be nothing blow slow, bloated pieces of fecal matter. Instead of helping me get my work done efficiently, they become a productivity barrier. To me, that's unacceptable.

Take email. While I know a lot of people like Google's GMail interface, I think it's horrid. It breaks stuff like opening messages in a new tab. I've noticed that other Web 2.0-style email interfaces do this, as well. And in the end, they don't offer any significant features. I find I can read, send and respond to email many times quicker when using mutt.

Then there's the whole security aspect to consider. I don't want my private data stored on some remote server somewhere, managed by somebody who I have never met. The only way I know my data is relatively safe is when it's on my desktop here running OpenBSD.

Maybe Web-based applications will get better. But I think they'll still have too many inherent flaws for me to want to use them.