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by MaknMoreGtnLess 1590 days ago
It seems to me that majority of users don't want to deal with a native application - specially one that:

1. They would have to install, maintain, backup and configure themselves 2. Has a reasonable web application, that, as a major perk, they don't have to install, maintain, backup and configure themselves

Due to the lack of demand for such a product, I am not surprised the existing products arn't polished/well maintained.
1 comments
s5806533 1589 days ago
Yes, I totally see your point. Gmail and similar offers are convenient, which means that native software has some very stiff competition and not a lot of adoption.

I'm interested in frugal computing, and I want my software to run smoothly on a Raspberry Pi if at all possible. So I do have some demand for a native program or, rather, set of programs.

Besides, on a principle level, I fail to see how something as simple as e-mail should need (or be allowed to use) something as complicated and resource-hungry as a web browser.

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MaknMoreGtnLess 1589 days ago
> I'm interested in frugal computing, and I want my software to run smoothly on a Raspberry Pi if at all possible. So I do have some demand for a native program or, rather, set of programs.

I understand. My point is that it's likely you're a fraction of the overall "home PC" market who are fine purchasing a regular PC/Laptop/Tablet with 16GB+ RAM and multiple cores (because it's so cheap now) if that can support apps that simplify their overhead.

SO while a Raspberry Pi with a NAS that backsup to rsync.net might consume way less power and be more cost efficient, it might require technical overhead that majority of people are unwilling/unable to support/incur.

> Besides, on a principle level, I fail to see how something as simple as e-mail should need (or be allowed to use) something as complicated and resource-hungry as a web browser

From a developer of a product POV, it's much simpler and less of an overhead building a web app that runs in a web browser than a native app that runs on 5 different platforms and architectures.

Essentially the developer of products are outsourcing the headaches of 5 different platform and architecture compatibility to the web browser.

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s5806533 1589 days ago
Again, I have to agree with you. I know I don't represent the majority, and I know that web apps have advantages (at least in this economy, so long as natural resources are cheaper than programmer hours). I don't argue with that. But I still find it a bit sad ;)
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