http://labs.mozilla.com/2007/10/prism/
http://wiki.mozilla.org/WebRunner
Just ran across these today. They were linked from digg.com and slashdot.org.
Looks like these packaged apps let you run the typically web-based app locally and use data from the web or run completely off-line.
What does everyone think about the usefulness of running web-based apps this way? And will there be a need to make them portable on a USB drive?
Prism isn’t a new platform, it’s simply the web platform integrated into the desktop experience. Web developers don’t have to target it separately, because any application that can run in a modern standards-compliant web browser can run in Prism. Prism is built on Firefox, so it supports rich internet technologies like HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and and runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
And while Prism focuses on how web apps can integrate into the desktop experience, we’re also working to increase the capabilities of those apps by adding functionality to the Web itself, such as providing support for offline data storage and access to 3D graphics hardware.
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Google Gears is a similar thing.It can actually work with Google Gears for offline, my mistake.I love Prism! I'm using it for Gmail exclusively now, since otherwise it slows down Firefox way too much.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
I second this request for Mozilla Prism...
It indeed would be nice to run web apps alongside desktop apps...
Given that Webrunner was developed with Google in mind...now that Mozilla is housing it in the lab, it will only grow. They also seem open right now to adding features.
We were using it in our proof of concept http://zedfiles.com/screenshots/index.php and found that not having tabs for child windows and MinimizeToTray features made it awkward, so we went back to using Firefox Portable Edition.
Prism Portable would be a great addition!!!
I agree with commment #11 on the link in the original post:
Im sorry but I installed this and I just don’t get what there is to be excited about. A webpage (ie gmail) now has an icon and runs in a firefox window without any buttons. wow.
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when I started playing around with Webrunner .5 ... it is where I think they will take it that is interesting.
Hmm although it makes some interesting promises, for now it doesnt seem to be more that a few internet shortcuts with its own browser. I did check it out and I am not very exited about it yet. I mean, are this mere shortcuts or is the whole application running from the browser cashe.
The main feature seems to be for now 'installing' a shortcut, and it doesn't even have a remove 'app' function, sub folders etc.
And having played with it for a few minutes 50% of the time a link doesnt start, and it opens links in existing browser windows.
The exiting part is that it can use access to your 3D card and save files, etc.
To consider this as an PortableApp might be a weird choise, as it's based around having a webpage links 'installed' onto a user's desktop PC. Links added to Startmenu, qickstart and Desktop. Hardly has any portable functionality at all.
Although I could be mistaken of course.
Firefox doesn't have portable functionality either until it is combined with the NSIS launcher... I guess the key question that John or one of the other NSIS'ers would have to answer is whether it is possible to do a portable version, given the extension that is used in the registry to enable the shortcuts... if the answer is no...then it would be a non starter...
Does someone have a take on that????