Mozilla takes another step forward in bringing web applications outside of the browser. Mozilla describes Prism as “an application that lets users split web applications out of their browser and run them directly on their desktop.” Mozilla’s primary focus seems to be using web apps outside of the browser…. as long as you have a internet connection. Although they do state they are working on offline support, it seems more like a secondary focus. Which is interesting because I see offline use as one of AIR’s greatest assets, the ability to use an application without an internet connection is a very powerful thing. It allows developers ( like me ) who don’t have experience with hardcore programming languages like C etc ,to develop applications using HTML, CSS, and Javascript. I was also immediately suprised at their statement in saying,
“Unlike Adobe AIR and Microsoft Silverlight, we’re not building a proprietary platform to replace the web.”
I immediately thought of the following: Adobe AIR is far from something that will “replace the web” and thats not even something that Adobe advertises or claims. Of course there will definitely be web apps that are enhanced and are even better outside the browser. After being a part of the onAIR bus tour and meeting the AIR development team I can assure you from multiple conversations and presentations that AIR is commited to web standards, and even uses the open source rendering engine: WebKit. So to say AIR is a proprietary platform is stretching the truth and it is most certainly not Adobe’s intention to, “replace the web”.
Sure enough as I finish reading the article and flip through some comments I see a comment by Mike Chambers ( Principal Product Manager of Adobe AIR ) re-stating my thoughts exactly but in much better words. Here’s an excerpt of his comment:
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i.e. Adobe AIR is built on top of web standards and can run existing web applications and content. It runs on Windows and Mac (and soon Linux), and it also provides additional desktop functionality.
Btw, I don’t see any information on Adobe’s site suggesting Adobe AIR is meant to “replace the web”, but, as you ackowledge here, there are some apps that may provide a better experience if they are running out of the browser, and closer to the desktop.
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Having said all that, without offline use of the application and any additional objects, classes, etc. My initial reaction to Prism is: it looks like shortcuts with icons that launch chromeless windows, no URL bar, and no back button.
But I guess it is still alpha, so I hope Mozilla comes up with something cool before launch, otherwise it seems like AIR has them beat on this front.
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