| By Rob Gonda |
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| January 26, 2006 09:45 AM EST |
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21,789 |
Will web applications ever replace regular desktop applications? Will desktop applications adopt web paradigms? Are web applications "Web 2.0"?
The whole 2.0 thing is getting much abuse now; its hype/meaning ratio is inflating by the minute. Web 2.0 is really exposing functionality through APIs and allowing people to collaborate, much more than it is about Rich Internet Applications.
The first impression when you ask anyone about Web applications is negative; they claim they will never use them. I certainly cannot see (yet) a Photoshop or Avid web application, but let's go back a few steps. An example of a Web application in its simplest form could be Google Maps. Having Google Maps handy, how many people download and install a desktop mapping application? Unless there is a specific business-need for it, no one. Furthermore, businesses are shifting their applications to rely on Mapquest's of Google's API.
Can you see the advantage? You do not have to install Google Maps and you do not have to download patches or updates. Everything is streamed from a centralized database. The advantages start to become clearer. Now, the same concept can apply for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations software, charting software, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and even games.
Web applications could eventually completely replace common desktop applications, which require upgrades, fixes, and security patches. Rich Internet Applications are in the way of offering everything a regular application does, but reside in the Web. If your Microsoft Word resided on the web and allowed you to do everything your regular application does, but additionally gets automatic updates, is portable and accessible from everywhere, would you use it? Given the fact that everything is streamed on-demand from the server, leaving on the client the main user interface and connectivity tools only, Web applications will make the described scenario possible. Perhaps, Microsoft already announced Windows Live and Office Live, which will do exactly that.
This will not happen overnight, but there will be a transition from desktop applications to web applications as technology evolves. Asynchronous requests are just the beginning, but there are still some common browser problems to overcome. Flex 2.0 and Microsoft's Expression Studio are right around the corner, and they will become huge players in years to come.
This article was republished with permission of the
Author.
Rob Gonda is an industry visionary and thought leader, speaks on emerging technologies conferences nationwide, and combines unique approaches to technology and marketing strategies. He is the former Editor-in-Chief of the AJAX Developer’s Journal, an Advanced Certified Coldfusion Developer, member of the Adobe Community Experts, frequent contributor to the CFDJ and ADJ, co-author of Real-World AJAX: Secrets of the Masters, author of AjaxCFC, holds a BS in computer science and engineering and an MBA with a specialization in entrepreneurship.
Rob recently joined Sapient from ichameleon/group/ where he was a founding partner and chief technical officer. He is part of the global technology leadership team, and brings with him over ten years of experience in web development and 360 marketing campaigns for clients such as Adobe, Coca-Cola, Guinness, Toyota, Taco Bell, NBC, and others.
He specializes in emerging technologies, marketing strategy, social media, and he is currently fascinated with rich internet applications, service oriented architecture, mobile, agile methodology, automation, behavioral targeting, multi-channel synergy, and identifying new trends.
Rob’s mission is to develop forward-thinking expertise that will ensure clients are always on par with rapidly changing technologies and maintain its ethos of evolving.
You can reach him at rob[at]robgonda[dot]com and read his blog is at http://www.robgonda.com
