[m8rl]

I think you are missing the point as this framework doesn't intend to handle all those simplified webpages but obviously tries to make complex interfaces possible within web browsers. Taking a well-known GUI metaphor and UI architecture makes sense in this case, IMO.

[Argorak]

I understand what it tries to do. I just don't consider it worthwhile. Having a menu bar inside the browser chrome along with non-native windows is confusing at best if not outright broken. It tries to emulate a user experience that does not fit the browser and should better be implemented as a native app.

[rolux]

I get your point, but I don't think it's necessarily a browser vs. desktop thing, especially since that line is going to blur even more in the future.

I guess it rather depends on the type of application you're building. For anything complex and truly feature-rich (think a good e-mail client, or professional photo/video management software), the big advantage of a menu bar is that it makes functionality discoverable, using a well-known paradigm. Keyboard navigation + shortcuts are a plus, and OxJS provides that.

I definitely see a need for desktop-like JavaScript UI toolkits. But of course, one has to use them wisely. Non-native dialogs have become quite common, and I think they make sense for login, notifications, warnings, and so on. On the other hand, it's unlikely that a whole layer of stacked "windows" (inside a tab, inside a browser window) is a good idea.

EDIT, forgot to mention: The main reason menus or dialogs as elements on a website may seem confusing or broken could be that most existing JavaScript implementations are actually confusing and broken.