
Going from zero-install to instant-install  - bdfh42
http://www.google.com/buzz/zboogs/T3cumksXHam/Going-from-zero-install-to-instant-install-Its
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patio11
The only thing I miss about installations, as a developer, is the ability to
drop an icon on the desktop. I still get purchases from software installed in
2007, biding its time on a desktop, waiting to be clicked on. On the other
hand, many of my users cannot find my website again after they close the
browser.

 _Bringing back a lightweight notion of installation offers an interesting way
out of these constraints. If an author uses APIs like window.open() and
desktop notifications in an annoying way, his app will be uninstalled. The UA
can make it easy for the user to discover the uninstall button, so there's a
strong incentive for authors to not be assholes._

The author has more confidence in the ability of regular users to identify the
cause of a novel behavior on their computer than I do. For example, I sell
downloadable software. My users largely understand that downloadable software
is dangerous and Google is safe. When Google went down last year, three people
did the following math: "Google was up, I installed Patrick's software, Google
went down, clearly Patrick has broken the Google and needs to give it back or
I will tell my husband."

~~~
jessriedel
> The only thing I miss about installations, as a developer, is the ability to
> drop an icon on the desktop.

The thing I love about web apps is not having to worry about an installation
dialog where I must be on the lookout for the program trying to place icons on
my desktop, start menu, or elsewhere.

~~~
patio11
Have no fear, mine doesn't bother you with deciding on those details. _grin_

Seriously though, I understand developers react to someone changing a setting
on their computer like a dragon who had a copper piece fondled by an unwelcome
hobbit. However, normal people don't care, _need_ those boxes checked or they
will be unable to run the software again, and everything in an installer might
as well be magic spells written in ancient Aramaic (though the cleverer ones
have learned that the button on the bottom right casts "continue").

~~~
thwarted
_However, normal people don't care, need those boxes checked or they will be
unable to run the software again_

All I can think of now is "our website was at the very tip of the penis" and
"my salesforce.com was on the right testicle".
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8_Kfjo3VjU>

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Tim_M
The arguments for install seem a bit weak and/or incorrect.

> Web apps can't open popup windows

Popupblocker allow

> Web browsers cannot offer permanent storage

<https://developer.mozilla.org/en/DOM/Storage>

> Web apps can't put things on the clipboard

Go to any github repo and there is a nice copy to clipboard button.

> Web apps can't know when the system is idle (eg to turn the chat icon from
> green to yellow)

Google chat has being do this for a long time already.

~~~
mcav
\- Copy to Clipboard uses Flash.

\- Google chat doesn't use _true_ system idle time.

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allenp
Google code, "What are installable web apps?"
<http://code.google.com/chrome/apps/>

Also, it looks like google is trying to make an app store for the browser:
<https://chrome.google.com/webstore>

~~~
aboodman
The author works on that :)

