What is it about applications that "feels" different than a web application? And by "feel," I mean in terms of design and interaction. An example recently was when I was trying to find a web based alternative for OmniOutliner. It simply can't be done. Basecamp & Backpack, for all their javascripting goodness just don't have the same gratification levels. RememberTheMilk is the same kind of thing I guess. Something about the way I interact with OmniOutliner trumps it all.
Analyzing my use of OmniOutliner and trying to figure out what exactly it is that I like so much causes me to consider what it'd take to bring it to the web. It's certainly not features -- all I really use it for is my todo list. It's whatever feeling is generated by me using it that causes the satisfaction (and subsequent attachment). Is it the ease and speed of an application that does it? Is the browser the problem (as opposed to the delivery/protocol), or is it the style of widgets and layout differences? Actual net speed? I'm not sure.
It's almost like trying to define what "felt" right about the BBS world of the 80s/90s. Most who experienced it agree that something was fundamentally different -- better -- but hardly anyone can define it.
Any thoughts? Am I alone on this?
Comments...
(Page 1)1. I don't think its web apps in general more so then the user interaction. I think GMail is by far the best email client I have used either on the web or on the desktop.
Perhaps it comes down to many web apps are just web pages that do things. Compare that against desktop applications that people don't try to SEO or make sure it validates with yellow fade. Instead they just solve the problem.
I think web apps have an advantage over desktop applications but they need to focus on why desktop applications (and hell even desktops computers) were successful -- they solved problems.
5:47PM on Feb 28th 2007 by Gavin
2. I recall Nielsen saying something about user "satisfaction" results compared to the response time to a click -- no matter how fast your ajax, I'm not sure that you can get the same responsiveness in actual milliseconds as a desktop client.
Or maybe it's the fact that you're in an application within an application and that's always going to feel a bit clunky.
5:16PM on Mar 1st 2007 by Mike
3. You are pointing out the same thigs here.
7:21AM on Mar 23rd 2007 by Megan