Missing Features

People pundits are predicting that web-based software will replace desktop software, like Microsoft Word . This is dead wrong.

To even suggest the experience of using a desktop application can feel as stable and comfortable as a web experience is unrealistic. There isn’t a dreaded back button in Microsoft Word. In it’s current form, web-based software will never replace Microsoft Office.

However, the notion of serving software over the infrastructure of the Internet will happen. While the needed software infrastructure is just appearing (HTML and JavaScript is wholly inadequate), the industry is years away from offering anything competitive.

What will web software look like? Hard to say, but one can expect it to:

• Install run invisibly;
• Run outside (or transparently on top of) any a web browser;
• Be available when you are off line;
• Interact with an online file system as seamlessly as a local file system.

The idea of web software is more a delivery method for desktop software than anything else.

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