# Desktop apps vs. web applications (was Re: What a response!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [December 5, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/desktop-apps-vs-web-applications-was-re-what-a-response/49529 "2005-12-05T19:07:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![joevandyk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@joevandyk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/joevandyk)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/desktop-apps-vs-web-applications-was-re-what-a-response/49529/1 "2005-12-05T19:07:59Z")
On 12/5/05, Jules [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > it locally. > So here’s a somewhat related question: When should an application be a web application (that could be distributed via the above method) and when should an application be a normal desktop application? ---
**Author:** ![joevandyk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@joevandyk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/joevandyk)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/desktop-apps-vs-web-applications-was-re-what-a-response/49529/2 "2005-12-05T19:20:14Z")
Graphical intensity & Privacy/Location of data are the questions that usually make the decision for me. j. On 12/5/05, Joe Van D. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > You can wrap your application in one .exe (you don’t even need a > > separate database!). The email it to someone and that person can launch > > it locally. > > So here’s a somewhat related question: > > When should an application be a web application (that could be > distributed via the above method) and when should an application be a > normal desktop application? – “Remember. Understand. Believe. Yield! → [http://ruby-lang.org](http://ruby-lang.org)” Jeff W. ---
**Author:** ![joevandyk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@joevandyk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/joevandyk)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/desktop-apps-vs-web-applications-was-re-what-a-response/49529/3 "2005-12-05T21:18:33Z")
> When should an application be a web application (that could be > distributed via the above method) and when should an application be a > normal desktop application? Excellent question. I’ll be interested to see the responses. Thanks Daab ---
**Author:** ![joevandyk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@joevandyk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/joevandyk)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/desktop-apps-vs-web-applications-was-re-what-a-response/49529/4 "2005-12-05T21:47:12Z")
On Tue, Dec 06, 2005 at 03:05:52AM +0900, Joe Van D. wrote: > When should an application be a web application (that could be > distributed via the above method) and when should an application be a > normal desktop application? Unless you’re doing something very bandwidth intensive (graphics editing, 3d gaming) it should be a web application. Web apps are more standardized, cross-platform, and IMHO much easier to write and maintain. Why would you want to write code for an event-driven UI when the Firefox people have already done it for you? AJAX just seals the deal. There’s some incredibly rich functionality available in modern browsers. There’s nothing for users to install, upgrade, configure, or break. And you’re much more flexible when new feature requests appear. Want to extend your application to mobile phones? No problem. Need to switch from windows to mac? Zero effort. Even for private things, just make a web server listen on localhost. Don’t write a GUI to configure your new-and-cool daemon – just embed a webserver and point people to 127.0.0.1:123. It’s so much easier. Besides, once everything’s a web app, having a monopoly on the desktop won’t matter anymore, and the Open Source takeover will be complete. Muah ha ha! regards, Ed