The major point of the column is that the browser has remained essentially the same since its inception, while the Web itself has gone through any number of major transformations. McAlister specifically cites Twhirl, a program that I use personally to stay in touch via Twitter. It is based on Adobe Air, and is an excellent Twitter client. But is it more? Is it in the forefront of the real Web App paradigm?This question has implications for more than social media. As we have said repeatedly in this space, Web apps such as Google Docs are not really ready for prime time when compared to their desktop counterparts. As we have also said, the online-app players have a lot of resources. Once they sense real money, how long will it take to develop really good online applications. Not long.
So when you’re thinking about how stale the Web browser has become, think also about replacing your desktop software icons with icons that lead to Web applications instead. As Twhirl proves, it is possible to write a specialized Web app that really does its job well. No, it is not as complex as a spreadsheet program. But it could be. All it would take is for the big players to make the necessary investment in Web app development platforms that could rival the platforms used for desktop development, and then to write the apps themselves. These two events would probably occur in tandem.
No, the Web browser probably will not go away. The generalized Web will still be there, and we will still need a generalized tool to view it. After making a number of excellent points, what McAlister’s column misses is the demise being made possible by Web software. It is not the death of the browser. But it may be the death of the desktop app.
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