[phkahler]

>> The number of companies that have this much respect for the user is vanishingly small.

I think companies shifted to online apps because #1 it solved the copy protection problem. FOSS apps are not in any hurry to become centralized because they dont care about that issue.

Local apps and data are a huge benefit of FOSS and I think every app website should at least mention that.

"Local app. No ads. You own your data."

[xorcist]

Another important reason to move to online applications is that you can change the terms of the deal at any time. This may sound more nefarious than it needs to be, it just means you do not have to commit fully to your licensing terms before the first deal is made, which is tempting for just about anyone.