Fundamental assumption behind everything on web, and office2.0 is that we are connected to the net all the time. I am not quite sure about it, yet.

With success of some of the web2.0 applications, we are tempted to think and attempt to create every application as online, 99% of the time just a copy cat of desktop version. This is what I don’t quite understand. I hope atleast they would be adapted or redesigned for web, some thing like basecamp. Some times we are confusing the ’sharing’ aspects with the ‘creation’ aspects. Web is an ultimate platform for sharing, but not for creating. Think of applications like Powerpoint, MSword, Excel, Audacity, Garageband, Photoshop. Do you really need them to be online?

If the experiment of 100% webbased succeed, it would be a total disaster for user experience. 1). Not all of them are good for online. 2)Because there are so many fundamental aspects of user experience that are totally missing on web interface. For example rich typefaces, sounds and fluid graphics. You ‘can’ create them with Flash on web, but none of the web2.0 is fully flash based (goowy is the only exception). I hope you have seen the latest iTunes album cover view and the reflections.

Some online apps are not quite intuitive. Or just I don’t get it. Take the example of online RSS reader. Most of the online readers display just a snapshot of latest feeds, because they assume that you will be online all the time and will be staring at the screen to catch updates. 90% of us don’t stare at the computer all the time at Feed Reader even though we sit infront of it. But what I really want to see and read on my reader is a list of all the articles posted from my last visit. Bloglines does it, with few limitations and fair interface but not most online readers. Take a desktop countepart, Blogbridge, which is a java based desktop app. You can install on any platform just by accessing a link from web. Also blogbridge stores the feeds and status of each post on a centralized server on the network. So if you already read a post at home, when you open the app at office, it would not show up in the unread list. It provides all of what online app offers, yet with desktop convenience. But it still suffer from the need of installation, though it is automated and simple using java webstart.

I don’t honestly think that any of us advocating the trend of Office 2.0 are heralding the end of desktop applications but simply a new means of achieving an end. As you say “It would be better to create the best of both worlds…” which I think sums up what many are saying, well at least those that are pushing the topic.

Craig