Next week I will be attending Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. This will be my first time at WWDC and I am looking forward to a really fun, informative week. If you're going and would like to meet up, and maybe get the scoop on what's been cooking in the Acrylic oven, feel free to give me a shout. See you there!

One thing that is kind of scary today is the prominence of web-based applications that run in your browser. I've always thought this was moving backwards. With much more powerful computers, we have amazing potential for really rich applications. Why build for a browser using old, slow technologies like JavaScript and HTML? We also have this great ideology of applications running in the dock, but web based apps are always in your browser. It's a very limiting environment.

Imagine the possibilities if web apps had access to the same technologies and resources that desktop apps do. Right now, the link between the desktop and the browser is pretty weak. Ever tried uploading photos to Flickr, for example, without the Uploadr app? Many companies are acknowledging the need for better desktop interaction, but few are acting.



Most people would agree that user experience in web apps is often a really poor one. "Is it a web page or is it an application?" We're often stuck with web paradigms such as hyperlinks and forms which come in the way of making a usable application. There's also no set of rules for web-based interfaces, although there are some suggested ones, so web apps tend to be all too confusing for the end user. Interfaces on the web are basically a free-for-all, and it shows.

In the future, I can see apps that are web-based but use a desktop client for better user experience. We're just beginning to see apps like this emerge thanks to technologies such as WebKit and Apollo. It is also interesting that Steve Jobs brought this same idea up at the D5 conference. Will this hopefully be the future?

Today's Mac shareware industry is a really funny one. For example, a few developers, who won't be mentioned, don't appear to be in the software business at all. Their interests, or perhaps tactics, involve fueling fires and starting unnecessary conflict in the Mac community. While the more experienced (civilly) criticize the values and tactics of these developers for justified reasons, they are consistently bitter towards this criticism, and quite frankly, come off as completely tasteless and unprofessional. We have a pretty sad state of affairs when sticking to cliques suddenly becomes important. I'd readily provide examples but I think most of you know what I am talking about.

What happened to simply making good apps?

I remember when indie Mac development appeared to be at its peak. Larger companies such as Panic and The Omni Group were doing great things at the time. Their development record is questionable as of late, but maybe that is the price you pay when you become a larger company. Other apps such as Watson and Delicious Library were blowing people away. Off topic, I also remember when an app looking like it belonged in Mac OS X was desirable.

But now, in an era where there are hundreds if not thousands of Mac OS X apps being developed, what do you do to stand out? Do you lash out at those who oppose you? Do you resort to using gimmicks and other questionable marketing tricks? How do you tell the world that your app is worth their attention?

In the real world, quality and innovation are the foundations of real success. But to even think that is true for Mac apps is just blasphemy, right?