Comments on: GNOME Mobile: bringing the desktop and the internet together

By: jospoortvliet

jospoortvliet — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 12:43:30 +0000

Jolie is also a very interesting technology which can bring the desktop and the web much closer together. ( http://dot.kde.org/2008/09/07/interview-jolie-and-service-oriented-computing-explained )

By: Sense Hofstede

Sense Hofstede — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 06:55:57 +0000

What I’ve always found strange is that I never really found a good tool for synchronizing your Linux-powered devices with your Linux-powered desktop. You would expect something more when you have access to all sourcecode. I think there is still a lot to win with synchronization.

By: Karl Lattimer

Karl Lattimer — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 04:00:45 +0000

Really though, it’s all internet, the applications aren’t the browser, the browser is just a window onto them. Browser applications don’t really have a desktop interface at all, they have a web interface and _THE_ browser shell. These things are dramatically different in technology and representation, although with things like Adobe AIR and webkit are kinda merging together anyway…
If you’re to call the browser a separate entity, then you should also include every other way of retrieving or serving content or apps from the internet at large. For instance would a widget/gadget (small web apps which run on the desktop) be another leg (for an object with four legs each must be equidistant from the standing surface)? Or would you still classify them as browser, even though they aren’t browser based, they use the same rendering technology and the same transfer protocols but the presentation is different. Browser is therefore completely null, it’s all just internet.
The point I was trying to make is; If an application resides on the web, and there’s an accompaniment application that’s on the desktop, the two should push each other forward. The destkop driving the internet while the internet drives the desktop. When I say internet, I’m using the term a little too broadly I admit, I’m not talking about the wires, I’m talking about services and applications, from telnet to imap and beyond.
Take for example conduit. Conduit can communicate with lots of internet services and pull/push data around between them.
FYI, Steve Jobs used the 3 legged chair metaphor to demonstrate that apple was stable, that they’re not completely reliant on a single revenue stream and that made investors happy.
http://www.thegogglesdonothing.com/photos/wwdc2008/CRW_1241.jpg.html
Stable is not the metaphor I’d choose for this, to stay with the legs thing, I’d choose walking, and maybe throw in a little newton with “An object in motion remains in motion”

By: stormy

stormy — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:50:47 +0000

Actually, I see the browser as representative of apps that access data and info on the web but have a desktop interface. Browser, twitter applications, IM applications, some email apps, ….

By: Zenwalker

Zenwalker — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:36:31 +0000

wow stormy,
That picture depiction was great. And your points are great.

By: Karl Lattimer

Karl Lattimer — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:18:15 +0000

Why are the internet and the browser different? I mean, the internet is a physical network and the browser merely a portal to content and applications residing on the internet.
So your chair now has two legs, first rule of stability is an object with three legs is inherently stable, seconds rule an object with two legs is stable only when moving…
I think, in that, I’ve imparted the zen of what we should be doing in this arena

By: .fosk.

.fosk. — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:00:09 +0000

I could not agree more with you!
I hope those conversations will make all the different players of this “game” to realize that working together is a must nowadays!
Good to point it out!