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Why we maintain desktop apps for OS X, Windows, and a web application

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Re: Why we maintain desktop apps for OS X, Windows, and a web application

#23

I'd like to hear a little more about how this "recent technology" that she linked to helps me deploy web apps to the desktop. The http://nwjs.io/ site certainly doesn't have much info on how it can help for this use case.

Just one click through and you arrive at the README: https://github.com/nwjs/nw.js (the website is clearly, unfortunately, geared towards people in the know).

nwjs (node-webkit formerly) is a Chromium wrapper that lets you deploy web apps as desktop apps, simple as that.

Re: Why we maintain desktop apps for OS X, Windows, and a web application

#24

I'd like to hear a little more about how this "recent technology" that she linked to helps me deploy web apps to the desktop. The http://nwjs.io/ site certainly doesn't have much info on how it can help for this use case.

Node-webkit was renamed to nw.js[1], if that helps ring any bells. Its a chromeless browser that you can run your node webapp in, that acts like a application. Similar to Fluid SSBs[2] of yester-year

[1] https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/nwjs-general/V1Fhvfa...

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_%28web_browser%29

Re: Why we maintain desktop apps for OS X, Windows, and a web application

#25

I'd like to hear a little more about how this "recent technology" that she linked to helps me deploy web apps to the desktop. The http://nwjs.io/ site certainly doesn't have much info on how it can help for this use case.

Atom/Electron stuff from github also allows you to package a HTML5 application as a native desktop app : http://electron.atom.io/

kinda like cordova/phonegap for desktop

Re: Why we maintain desktop apps for OS X, Windows, and a web application

#26
What I don't like is WebView distributed as a "native app". It's not native app and it's not something I want to install, don't cheat me. Webpages should stay in browser.

I expect native app to be written with Objective C (OS X/iOS user here), having very low memory usage, fast startup and offline usage. Also I expect as much integration with the system, as possible, native controls (not that buggy emulation without my favorite emacs-like keybindings) and native behavior.

Probably we miss an important piece of technology: installable web-apps. Website opened in the frameless browser window, identifiable as a different application which could be easily pinned to Launchpad. With all advantages that "separate webview" has, but with some important difference: sandboxing. So I can feel safe when I launch this application, because I don't need to trust all my files, passwords and system to another application. I've seen that kind of technology in the iOS: website bookmark could be pinned as a desktop icon, but it's just a bookmark.

Re: Why we maintain desktop apps for OS X, Windows, and a web application

#27

What I don't like is WebView distributed as a "native app". It's not native app and it's not something I want to install, don't cheat me. Webpages should stay in browser. I expect native app to be written with Objective C (OS X/iOS user here), having very low memory usage, fast startup and offline usage. Also I expect as much integration with the system, as possible, native controls (not that buggy emulation without…

Like "Create application shortcuts" in Chrome?

Re: Why we maintain desktop apps for OS X, Windows, and a web application

#28

What I don't like is WebView distributed as a "native app". It's not native app and it's not something I want to install, don't cheat me. Webpages should stay in browser. I expect native app to be written with Objective C (OS X/iOS user here), having very low memory usage, fast startup and offline usage. Also I expect as much integration with the system, as possible, native controls (not that buggy emulation without…

Like "Create application shortcuts" in Chrome?

Or app manifests in Firefox?

Re: Why we maintain desktop apps for OS X, Windows, and a web application

#29
post #9

Installable webapps cover at least the first two points.

If you distribute your app for desktop, users will install it no matter what, but with installable webapps users won't install it until it's already part of their routine.

Of course, users are more likely to try out your app if they don't have to go through an installation process first, so it's a tradeoff.

Re: Why we maintain desktop apps for OS X, Windows, and a web application

#30

What I don't like is WebView distributed as a "native app". It's not native app and it's not something I want to install, don't cheat me. Webpages should stay in browser. I expect native app to be written with Objective C (OS X/iOS user here), having very low memory usage, fast startup and offline usage. Also I expect as much integration with the system, as possible, native controls (not that buggy emulation without…

You mean something like http://fluidapp.com/ ?
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