Future of web apps vs desktop apps [closed]?

Sigh People keep saying 'web app' vs. 'desktop app', and no one has a good set of criteria that would define one or the other. Using "web" technologies - HTML, CSS, JS, one can develop an application that is packaged and deployed to the user's computer using one of the traditional "desktop" deployment technologies - ZIP, MSI. Such application could benefit from "desktop" technologies like offline storage, but still authenticate against a third party server using OAuth, OpenID, or a plain user/pass combo.Is such an app a "web" or a "desktop" app?

1 I started to put together a short, smart-alecky response to this that declared the app to be a Desktop app, and explained why. But when I also tried to explain why a Web app would conversely be called a web app, I realized that by the seemingly obvious standards I'd used, most web apps would be in danger of being called desktop apps too. Then again, I'm typing this right now in firefox on my notebook... which is on my LAP... so SO is clearly a Laptop app!

– Andrew Barber Dec 4 '10 at 6:36 @Andrew Barber - I am curious what were the "seemingly obvious standards" you started with? :-) – Franci Penov Dec 4 '10 at 6:39 1 I'm not sure I remember anymore, really. But it was a simplistic and legalistic standard which, like most simplistic and legalistic standards, can be inaccurate to the point of comedy in real life.

– Andrew Barber Dec 4 '10 at 6:44.

I venture a guess: The users don't care much, as long as the result is close to what they want. (Heck, most users don't even know what OS their computer runs. ) Since user demand shapes the market, all sorts of software will stay with us - the technology used is just means to an end.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.