That's why the article argues that Google should be releasing tools to make this development easier - a framework can deal with a lot of the inconsistencies between browsers.
A framework would be a start, but overall a very incomplete solution that's nowhere near as nice as the well-defined playground that is the iPhone/iPad and their corresponding app stores. JQuery and friends brought cross-browser web development, with animations, ajax, etc., into the realm of possibility for many people where it would have been completely impractical to do before. Even still, getting cross-browser apps to run when everything is written cleanly results in a lot of piled-on hacks.
The biggest problem though is a lack of a well-organized app store: centralized distribution, the arguable benefits of a review process, and most significantly the monetization framework that it provides.
BTW - great idea for startup. Create a framework to monetize web apps/software as a service similar to the one provided by the AppStore and Apple ecosystem...
To play Devil's Advocate, why would Google want you to create stuff that works across browsers? They have their own browser and are creating an operating system based on that browser. It's in their interests to reward you to develop on Chrome, in the hopes of causing a similar app-driven fanboy rush for Chrome OS.
Because Google makes money on browsing, not selling web browsers. The faster and more functional everybody's websites are with all browsers, the more page views result, and the more money Google ultimately makes. Its in Google's best interest that all browsers can navigate the web effectively.
Even if such a thing could cope with rendering differences, there's not a damn thing it could do about performance differences (unless it artificially slowed down everything to run as fast as the worst browser).
".why the downvotes? I don't care about the karma, just want to understand why I was wrong."
Voting on HN has gone to the dogs a bit recently with thoughtless (and often mass) downvoting. There is often no real "reason" except some dumb fellow got up oon the wrong side of the bed today.
My suggestion, don't worry about it, just say what you want to. By and large, good comments are upvoted sooner or later. (upvoted you btw)
Computers have different speeds, and the same software still runs on them. (Unless the computer's too slow or the program is sloppily coded, but then that's the fault of the manufacturer or programmer.) Why do you think a framework should iron out performance differences?
I specifically don't think that. My comment's grandparent mentioned performance differences between browsers, and my comment's parent suggested that a JS framework could smooth out differences between browsers. I was pointing out precisely that a JS framework wouldn't be able to compensate for that.
The biggest problem though is a lack of a well-organized app store: centralized distribution, the arguable benefits of a review process, and most significantly the monetization framework that it provides.