The Joel on Software Discussion Group

What are some impressive new desktop applications. Some that integrate web with desktop. Are there any web sites devoted to desktop technology and new/innovative applications.

I vote for Google Earth. If you play around with KML, there's alot of really interesting applications.

+Google Earth

Picasa!

You've got a whole range of computer games. Most of them Internet enabled.

with Web 2.0, Desktop applications have become passe.

Google Earth is a classic case of an application that can be considered redundant. Practically everything that can be done in Google Earth can be done at maps.google.com - or could be done with some little tweaks.

this question is like asking what is most the impressive Univac application around

"Practically everything that can be done in Google Earth can be done at maps.google.com"

Except tilting the angle of view to make it painfully obvious that it's a two-dimensional image.  :-)

oh please anon show me quake 4 running in a web browser then we can talk about the desktop being dead.  Heck show me a good word replacement running on the web. No google's half assed replacement doesn't cut it.

"Desktop applications have become passe"

LMAO!!!!  You don't get out much do you?

There is still a far richer experience on the desktop.  And if you have been paying attention the pendulum is swing back towards the user and away from centralization once again.  Web 3.0/The Semantic Web/whatever you want to call it is all about apps sharing information and not parking on a web site.

History is repeating itself once again.

Watch out my little script kiddies.  You've had it easy targeting the lowest common denominator, the browser, but soon things are going to get serious again.

forThis.Anon , come on, my 70 year old dad coded on a univac in the 60s, that is a bit odd for you to say that the question is like asking:

What is new and innovative on a univac folks?

I see you are a web 2.0 fanboy, but the question was not about web. The question is about innovative desktop applications, moron.

You guys are so correct.  These script kiddies that think their web site is so cutting edge are in for a rude awakening when they have to start writing real code.

Something is coming around the corner and it aint no browser :-)

Unreal Tournament III is not new in concept (hence the "III"), but I haven't seen anything close to it on a browser.  It runs on the desktop and it is Internet ready.

The browser is the most vanilla and boring platform ever invented.  People have pushed its limits, but its just not cutting it.

The future is "smart" APPLICATION connectivity and the browser will be relegated to being a fancy IM client of sorts.

It's funny to watch all these web-heads starting to act like buggy whip makers.

I think the important thing to remember is that the "desktop" today can be a literal desktop PC, or a cell phone, an embedded app in a device, etc.  I would replace "desktop" with "user/application-centric".  This is where things are heading.

"the pendulum is swing back towards the user and away from centralization once again"

You are right on the money with that!  I will go one step further and say the future lies in apps you don't even interact with much.  Think outside the box.

Windows Live Writer is a good example of a web-ified desktop application "done right".

"Google Earth is a classic case of an application that can be considered redundant. Practically everything that can be done in Google Earth can be done at maps.google.com - or could be done with some little tweaks."

You have no clue. Take a look at the app sometime.

what i'm making now, is extremely cool. but ya'll will have to wait.

Funny thing, the laser controller that I did recently ran on a desktop instead of a web server.  Sadly, it was no more impressive or innovative than a typical web server is.

>>Watch out my little script kiddies.  You've had it easy targeting the lowest common denominator, the browser,<<

Exactly what was said when the first version of Linux came out, or before that when Windoes came out or before that when the RISC Chipset out...

Really, games make no impact in the real world. Which is why they have not yet been on the priority list to move to Web 2.0  All serious business applications are there or getting there.

Who wants a Live writer to install components on desktop when the job can be as effectively done with Google writer.

forThisAnon,

What built made the photo business viable?  Porn!  What made film viable?  Porn!  What made video viable?  Porn!  What made DVDs viable?  Porn!  And what made the web a reality?  That's right, PORN!

"All serious business applications are there or getting there."

LMAO!  Walk around any business.  Look in the offices and cubes.  Most all of them are using Microsoft Office.

Away script kiddie!

Sorry to pop your bubble.  While the browser isn't going away attention will move away from it.  It is not a good model for most applications.

mom,

Guess you missed reading the first two links Google returns on searching for Porn & Web 2.

Getting there - will soon be there.

Web 2 - way to go.

http://blog.eweek.com/blogs/intermedia/archive/2006/08/01/11977.aspx
http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/commentary/sexdrive/2007/08/sexdrive_0809