[MatthewPhillips]

Being hosted doesn't make them just links. Hosted apps still have access to many APIs not available in normal web pages. Such as cross-domain XHR, background pages (apps can run in the background even when the tab is closed), a licensing API that allows Google to handle the registration burden, etc.

[skymt]

Do many web apps use those features yet? (Besides payment, that is; see my reply to your other comment for my view on that.)

[MatthewPhillips]

I don't know; how is that relevant? The article argues about the future, of which Chrome and IE have app ecosystems and Mozilla does not.

[skymt]

I think I see the source of our disagreement. You seem to say that Chrome's impressive infrastructure for web apps gives it a potential advantage. I certainly agree with that, but the capabilities of Chrome apps aren't widely used right now, so the actual strength of the system is still unknown. The Chrome Web Store could still end up like WebOS: great platform, few developers.

[MatthewPhillips]

I don't agree with the article that Firefox is in trouble, but I'm a Chrome Store dev and I've grown tired of reading people online saying things like "they're just bookmarks", so I apologize if I came across as attacking. I think the advantages that Chrome (and to a lesser extent IE) has will eventually be rolled into the spec, and will be negated, however I don't think Mozilla is doing enough to push their alternative as viable. Their spec, to me, reads as web app best practices and the only original thing they're providing is an install button api.