[discreteevent]

" I'd be very wary of solutions that drop those advantages." They are called native applications. I can think of some useful ones over the years, particularly for people who produce rather than consume. I notice that my Bosch drill isn't available for seo and mashing :) Seriously though, it depends on your perspective. What's wrong with saying I'd like to make a native app but use the web as a delivery/installation mechanism and that's all?

[grey-area]

Nothing really, there's room for all approaches to be explored.

I suspect the concept of native APIs (desktop or mobile) will eventually disappear, but it'll be an interesting journey if we ever do reach that point and would take decades.

[blueskin_]

There's a difference.

Photoshop wouldn't work as a website, and HN wouldn't work as a program.

Different forms for different use cases.

[iopq]

Photoshop wouldn't work as a website? http://pixlr.com/editor/