Ask HN: What are things desktop applications do that web apps can't?

#1

Post by theterriblestid » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 1:41 AM UTC

For example: controlling the mouse, which can't be done from a browser for security reasons.

Re: Ask HN: What are things desktop applications do that web apps can't?

#2

Post by consultutah » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 2:08 AM UTC

Process extremely large amounts of local data quickly.

Re: Ask HN: What are things desktop applications do that web apps can't?

#3

Post by theterriblestid » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 2:16 AM UTC

consultutah wrote: post #2

Process extremely large amounts of local data quickly.

True, is that why Adobe does things the way it does?

Re: Ask HN: What are things desktop applications do that web apps can't?

#4

Post by cloudking » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 3:06 AM UTC

Fully interact with the operating system API/SDK, not just a subset of it.

Re: Ask HN: What are things desktop applications do that web apps can't?

#5

Post by nineteen999 » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 3:52 AM UTC

Heavyweight media creation applications; eg. Blender/ZBrush, Substance Designer/Painter, Avid MC, ProTools, Adobe Premier/AfterEffects, UE4 Editor.

I always get a chuckle out of web programmers who think that because they can do their entire job out of a few web apps, that everyone else can too.

Re: Ask HN: What are things desktop applications do that web apps can't?

#6

Post by fuzzfactor » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 4:06 PM UTC

Well, you can streamline & integrate an entire office's financial, scientific, engineering, marketing, sales, recordkeeping, paperwork, HR, and internal communication and it can be done with the utmost security & reliability when there is no wireless and no connection to the web whatsoever.