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Comment by stabbles | Hacker News Reader

Yes, that would be very useful to have. Some runtime, or some central application, so that the user just has to download some HTML, CSS and Javascript -- not a complete copy of Electron each time. And if this application could be used to browse the internet when the user enters a URL, that would be useful too! Game changer!

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Yes great idea! The different applications (or URLs) could be opened simultaneously and displayed as ‘tabs’ for the user to manage in the central application.

That would also allow to call one application from another, just assigning some reserved namespace or domain and appending the feature at the end, kind of a path. Exciting times!

How would one remember a collection of these namespaces or the current place within one location? Analogous to physical paper, could we repurpose the concept of a "bookmark"?

To avoid having to update these files on your pc, these could be served by a "server" on the internet. We would have to run cables around the earth so everyone can benefit.

First thing we'd have to serve then is some place where stuff like that can be discussed though, maybe some sort of "forum" with "comments" and stuff?

Unfortunately, that would also introduce latency. Plus, I'd like to be able to access these files when I'm not connected to one of these "servers".

You probably don't need electron to do that, it could be done by any end user. Wondering why it isn't being done!

I get the joke, but an Electron "player" daemon seems like a decent idea. It could manage getting the right runtime versions, installing apps, deduping assets and granting permissions.

It'd be a sort of cross-platform Google Play Services.

Oh, you're too brutal to the webdev community. Don't do that. :D

Everyone likes this idea until the HTML, CSS, and JS are given the ability to change application menus and access the file system. Then oh no, we can't have that.

Surely you can fix that without having physically separate copies of the underlying chromium engine?

edit: I realize now this is a joke thread... whoosh.

It's funny because it's not entirely a joke.

Instead we are encouraging users to download arbitrary binaries bundled with a browser that can be controlled and updated remotely. It’s not clear to me this is any safer.

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