DHH: we're already overloaded with connectivity
37signals.com
37signals.com
Summary: "Offline web app access is getting too much publicity. I can't control myself. For example: if I had online access on a plane, I'd have no choice but to use it to work on my site. Cherish the plane, because people don't need even more internet access, we're already connected too much."
The article was more about his inability to control his behavior, thinking that a plane is special because he doesn't have to be online while he's on it.
While David did mention that offline web apps are getting an undue amounts of attention in the first sentence, the rest of the article was a rant about his inability to control his behavior. He didn't say they are overrated. He's just saying he's glad planes don't have internet access so he can read a book or enjoy a coffee, because otherwise, he would be online working on his company site.
I think he just needs to control his own behavior better, such as by taking less electronic devices with him so that Internet access doesn't suck up his life.
In fact, I would say offline web apps would actually be a plus in his situation, because he could focus on just the tasks he's trying to accomplish, without feeling overwhelmed by connectivity. If his goal is to savor time away from internet connectivity, he should leave his devices at home, or take a laptop to an area without internet access and work with software and web-apps offline.
Although David added the first sentence about offline apps to get reader attention, his whole post was about his embarrassment about not being able to control himself. I think offline web apps would actually help him, not hinder him, to work on the things he needs to accomplish in a remote area without AIM, trillian, skype, cell phones, etc to bother thim.
I have found myself many times with my laptop in my car but unable to check my work's webmail to double check my calender because I'm offline.
Just to expand a bit I think its necessary for anyone building a webapp to look at how and why people need to access their app and develop accordingly.
This new wave of "we need to be offline" is undermining all of that with a non-existing problem. I have no need to have offline GMail, for example. I might have a need to have offline Google Docs (if their site is down) but that's so low on my list of requirements since Google.com is up 99.99% of the time.
I believe that every one of these "web app on your desktop" movements will ultimately fail for being unnecessary.
Really, how many times in your life did you find yourself offline and needing to use a web application? And if you did find yourself offline most probably you are without your pc or your mobile which means you end up using another device.
Oops! That means no access to that trendy offline application you installed the other day!
Everyone is moving inside the web, not outside it.
Go Grid!
P.S And I think now I am getting it! Thaaat was the sarcasm from Google with GMail Paper!
I currently work for a company (yeah, yeah; the startup is gonna be next year, once I graduate) that produces software for health care agencies. We're writing the next version of our app in Rails, but the problem is that a significant number of our customers need to be able to use the app out in the boonies. Out where if they're lucky, they have _analog_ cell phone service.
There is a real need for offline capability for webapps; you just don't see it when you keep your eyes on 37Signals-type apps.
Particularly the three-part series.
Multiple-columns can be hard to deal with. But duplicate rows because you're using an autoincrement integer as your pk are also a pain in the ass. Measure twice, cut once.
I suppose in a fully normalized world of enterprise db architecture this could be an issue, but most real world applications aren't built that way.
In reality, speed is key, models are simple and normalized data is usually the bottleneck, and as such, de-normalized PDQ.
I know the theory is whack and risks problems, but reality pays the bills in most cases, so it wins.
What kind of apps do you think are more suited for this? Just curious.
Another thing might be 30Boxes or whatever favorite calendar app you have. Sure, you can sync the feed to iCal, but you can't do everything off a feed.
Web-based apps and RIA are here to stay, but there's still space for client-side apps. Example: Skype and iTunes.
I agree that a Javascript-based client-app might not perform as well as a native C/C++ app, but I would not say "could never be developed"...
Adobe Apollo does generate a compiled package (aka "air"). I believe Apollo also generates a native executable file after the app is installed.
PS: I'm not an Apollo evangelist. I just wanted to point out that web-based client apps are not about off-line features.