There are many people who don't care about the asset being on a machine vs their phone. They just want the asset wherever they are. This is why there's so many successful cloud-based services like DropBox and Evernote.
Why is source code any different? (Not asking about corporate privacy/trade-secrets here, just the concept of a code file as text being shared to all your devices and thought of as an asset you always have access to).
I'm of the opinion that the sooner I can throw away the device I'm using today, and pickup my work with the next device, the better we are. Using my desktop computer here at work. Tablet on the train, etc... and then I want a new Tablet? Boom, just log into my IDE and I can continue coding ASAP. Just like logging in to email.
This wave is coming. Right now big enterprises have virtualized their dev environments into secure environemnts that you can only access via RDP. The next phase for them is offering only secured source-coded private-cloud based editing solution.
What we need its that cloud-storage and backup be a optional solution. Im against cloud storage as a obligatory condition of the digital life.. and the trendy-push for to everything-in-the-cloud movement..
Because this leads to lock-in and really fucked-up concepts of property (like the Bruce Willis case against Apple being unable to leave the tunes he bought to his daughters)
So, cloud-storage? Yes.. but only as an option; otherwise you're locked (and welcome to the neo-feudalism)
For phones its understandable, they need to be small, so storage space have to go.. but for notebooks, it doesnt make it favorable to the user; its only for the cloud computing religion sake, and to force people to put everything in the could so they can control your life..
Chromebooks/Browserbooks are traps.. we are better with PCS and normal notebooks.. and trying to replace them with this cloud-trap notebook its just silly
So, getting back to the point; You only think the cloud version of this IDE a good thing, because of the chromebook limitations. Limitations it doesnt need to have in the first place.. only for the sake of the corporation behind it, and not for the user..
And this trend was started with the loved-all-around Steve Jobs.. everybody are following.. and if this trend catch on.. we will start to see more and more.. corporation cults.. like new religions; cause our lives will become so dependent on them we are doomed..