Google's Carl Sjogreen gave a talk at the Future of Web Apps conference
about how they built Google Calendar. Rakesh Agrawal
took extensive notes, as did Tim
Bonnemann.
What I love about Google is they consistently think 'Web Native' when developing web applications. My favorite example of that is Gmail, which changed the whole paradigm of web email. And that's nothing against the new Yahoo Mail Beta, which has a desktop UI and is a very fine app too. But when you build a browser-based app, then why not optimize the design for the Web and introduce new UI paradigms that weren't possible in the desktop era? That may be the early adopter in me speaking, but the innovation you do now will be the norm in the long-term.
Carl Sjogreen said that the Google Calendar team focused "on what the web can do that paper can't" - e.g. collaboration and access anywhere.
On that note, on ZDNet today I wrote about what we can expect in a Web Office. In a nutshell, expect something completely different from Microsoft Office:
...it's important to remember that with new technology comes new functionality. A term I use for this is 'Web native', meaning that the next generation of office software will not necessarily be the same as the past PC-based generation (typified by Microsoft Office). The new generation will have Web native functionality - including, but not limited to, collaboration. Rod Boothby likes to say that blogs and wikis are the first major 'office 2.0' apps, but I think a web-based suite will be so much more than publishing and collaboration features.
One new feature that I think will be common place is 'mashups', whereby data is sourced and combined from a variety of internal and external sources. Imagine an online spreadsheet for a marketing report where you gather data from all over the Web and across internal business units too.
There will be other Web native functionality too, things that we can't yet predict.
I referenced Zimbra, DabbleDB, Morfik, Zoho and ThinkFree as some companies that are building Web Native office applications. If, as Nick Carr suggested recently, office suites will be fully web-based by the early 2010s - then I'm betting that Web Native functionality will underpin this evolution.
Original link via Greg Linden
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While I find the idea of web native apps fascinating and probably very useful, I am a bit disturbed by the idea of many of the office apps being web-based for several reasons. First and most important, many of us live where a truly functional internet connection simply isn't available. Technology may change that in six years yet is suspect we will continue to be on the far end of these benefits. As I type, I pay over 50 dollars a month for marginal DSL (360 k) while many in urban areas pay half of that for 5+ times the speed. Technologies such as web apps, video over internet, etc. are pretty much a bust out here in the boonies because of slow speed. Second, because of this lack of real connection, not to mention many places around the world with no connection, apps that cannot run on the computer are worthless. A great office app bundle that is web native isn't to great if you can't get to it. Finally, what about data? While many like to upload and store data on online servers, I frankly dont' trust that as the sole source of storage. Of course, this also enters into privacy concerns.
My two and 1/2 cents.
Posted by: Brian | September 18, 2006 5:43 AM
Brian I totally agree with those points. A Web Office is at least 5 years away due to those very concerns - connectivity, security, privacy, etc.
However one person who I work with has noted before that Web Office apps could become popular in the lower economic regions of the world, because ultimately it's a lot less expensive to buy and run than desktop apps (particularly those from Microsoft). I think that's a valid point too - web-based apps are a lot cheaper in the long run from a maintenance pov.
Posted by: Richard MacManus | September 18, 2006 5:53 AM
In the short-term, web apps will gain in popularity when they allow users to update documents "offline" (continue working) when an Internet connection is unavailable. Long-term, I think their popularity will parallel the geographical growth and reliability of wifi nets. If you can access your data 24/7 from anywhere, the only PC's you'll find will be in museums.
Posted by: eoecho | Greg Magnus | September 18, 2006 6:44 AM
I have to disagree with your usage of the term "Web Native" with regards to GMail. Web native applications should have hyperlinks and adressable resources.
In the rush towards Ajax For Everything, the importance of real addressable resources seems to be being forgotten.
Posted by: Simon Willison | September 19, 2006 12:36 AM