Web vs Native (was Re: HTML5 limitations?)

[Richard Gaskin]

hh wrote:

 >> RG wrote:
 >> - What are the use-cases where a native app is a better choice than
 >>   a web app?
 >> - What are the perceived benefits of web apps and native apps?
 >> The first question is about actual capabilities, and the second
 >> is about the psychological drivers of clients and customers,
 >> which may or may not reflect those capabilities.
 >
 > Yes. More specific and very clear now.
 >
 > The answer to the first question is of course: Native is always better
 > performant.

Good point.  Not having to download the UI and code each time you use an 
app helps.  But isn't that mitigated somewhat with modern local storage 
options in browsers?


 > But with a web app you have "all-in-one": For example, no nasty switch
 > to an other app for a simple "wiki"-info, or for some lines of
 > feed-back, or for looking into news. A web app means: You are already
 > "surfing".  These are my experiences from discussions with non-IT
 > users/clients/customers

This is part of why I raised the question, as I came across a use-case 
with a client recently that was very much the opposite:

He has a service which is simple enough that it could be well served in 
a web app.  Seemed like a good idea to me - write it once, available to 
everyone everywhere, no app store headaches, no platform-specific 
considerations.

But we're making an app anyway, because of feedback from his customers 
which suggests that using bookmarks on mobile is too onerous.  They 
expressed a very strong preference for having in icon on their home 
screen, and even the one step needed to put a bookmark on their home 
screen was perceived as too difficult.  They'd much rather find, 
download, and install an app just to get an easy launch.

-- 
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World Systems
  Software Design and Development for the Desktop, Mobile, and the Web
  ____________________________________________________________________
  Ambassador at FourthWorld.com                http://www.FourthWorld.com