Re:Ask HN: Do we still need native apps?
by p3llin0r3 on Friday April 13, 2018 @09:55PM
(#16835377)
> 1. Most web "apps" actually only work on Chrome, so there's that. So much for the open, standardized web.
This is completely anecdotal, so I'll volunteer my own anecdote: I've used Firefox for years and basically never run into issues. Sometimes a website will say "We don't support your browser", but if you change your user agent it works fine.
> 2. Most web apps track the heck out of everything you do.
So installing a native app with even MORE access to what you do is a better solution? How about Uber tracking you after you get out of your cab? To suggest this is a "web app" problem is false.
> 4. Most web apps are like Juicero, expensive solutions to non existent problems.
Haha, you are SO RIGHT about this one! One of my smell-tests for a web-app is: "Could your website be reasonably replaced with a spreadsheet?"
It's funny because I LOVE spreadsheets, and simply using a spreadsheet is better 99% of the time.
This is completely anecdotal, so I'll volunteer my own anecdote: I've used Firefox for years and basically never run into issues. Sometimes a website will say "We don't support your browser", but if you change your user agent it works fine.
> 2. Most web apps track the heck out of everything you do.
So installing a native app with even MORE access to what you do is a better solution? How about Uber tracking you after you get out of your cab? To suggest this is a "web app" problem is false.
> 4. Most web apps are like Juicero, expensive solutions to non existent problems.
Haha, you are SO RIGHT about this one! One of my smell-tests for a web-app is: "Could your website be reasonably replaced with a spreadsheet?"
It's funny because I LOVE spreadsheets, and simply using a spreadsheet is better 99% of the time.