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Comment by manigandham | Hacker News Reader

Most people prefer the desktop software for better UX.

I DESPISE having to install or even run desktop applications for anything that can be done in a browser.

For simple tasks yes, but just because it can be done in a browser doesn't mean it should. Native applications can provide performance optimizations that you wouldn't get in a web app. Would you rather play a realistic flight sim natively or in your browser?

I'd rather play it in a browser, even if it's much worse.

With the browser version, I can just open my browser and point to the URL and run it. Easy.

With a native app, this usually means I'd have to go buy a new computer running Windows or MacOS just to run this one stupid application, because I don't have either of those OSes at home. Of course, I'm not going to do that, which means I just don't use the app at all.

support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/204206269-Installing-Zoom-on-Linux

Then you're not most people. The desktop apps are faster, more reliable and more convenient for the vast majority of business users who just want it to work.

Not when they’re just electron apps like what sadly most of these productivity apps end up being.

Sure, but that's not what Zoom is.

Agreed. Alibaba asks anyone who has meetings with them to install their proprietary meeting software which is only available on Mac/Win. No thanks.

Most non-tech people just blindly drink the poison and install it.

I had installed the Zoom client on my PC as a local non-admin user, and then had to go to IT to get an admin to uninstall it.

Zoom is not alone in doing this. (Or maybe it's a Windows "feature"?)

Your IT might have set up a group policy object that disables uninstalling software (https://www.windowscentral.com/how-prevent-accidental-uninst...)

That's about removing a shortcut, not banning uninstalling user-installed apps, which would be ridiculous.

If that's what stopped parent poster from uninstaling, that's PEBCAK.

Yeah could be. I had a requested a Mac.

Do you have data? Or is this anecdotal?

I completely disagree, and I mean for all desktop software vs. web software.

Web applications are generally better, because, as a Linux user, an in-browser application means I get to actually use the thing, instead of not using it at all.

"as a Linux user"

Then you're not most people. This isn't that controversial.

I may not be most people, but for various reasons, it does seem than web apps are taking over and native apps are dying, so this is only good for me. Maybe there's more of us than you think.

Sure, but this was only in context for Zoom, not all software.

And Zoom does have a Linux version in case you're not aware: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/204206269-Installi...

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