Why Web-Based Applications?

Now that the Isis team is moving to Google Apps, some one can ask why use we use web-based applications - What are the advantages relative to desktop applications. Its a long story but let me make some comments about this. I found this is infomation that can be useful to understand what are WEB APPS..

Im going to be one of the examples, i have already installed in my Lap Top the Office suite from Micrsoft, because sometimes i need it, but normally i use  Google docs and spreadsheets for my needs and most of my task.

One nice thing about online
applications is that they are updated automatically, so you are always
using the current version. Collaboration and universal Web access to
your work are two other pluses.

• Viability of the vendor. Will the vendor be
  around in the future, or will it and your data disappear? We are lucky
  that some of the players are really big, such as Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) and Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO) .
  It is probably best to stick with one of these. I would not hesitate to
  bet that the readers of this column probably have an alternate online
  e-mail account from Google, Yahoo, MSN , AOL, etc.
• Data privacy. We don't seem to worry
  about this with the big boys, but it would be fairly easy for someone
  to post an application to compile e-mail lists or even infect a user's
  computer with spyware
  or adware. Again, larger and more stable sites probably have more
  safeguards in place to protect your data and computer from hacking,
  viruses and identity theft. (Hah -- from recent news let's hope that
  they have better safeguards in place than federal government agencies!)
• Speed of use. High-speed computers
  and high-speed connections work best. Even with a really fast
  connection, many of these applications seem to be slower than an
  application residing on your computer. CF and I have both had Web-based
  applications time out on us.
• Price. Most of these online
  applications are not free. They may have an initial free trial period,
  but many charge a monthly or yearly fee after that. Many offer
  non-profit and academic pricing.

Now. there are a lot of web applications now running over the web, and for a very accesible price, or even free, let me tell you what can be a good formula for your computer or laptop and WEB APPLICATIONS.

You can have your computer with Linux, any Distribition, and you will have Open Office by Default, notice that comes with  every linux distribution, and for windows you need to purchase MS Office for $300 US Dolars, an then you can have both Web apps and Desktop Office aplications, nomally the files you most need you can create in Web apps and save it like Open Ofice or PDF, and you can modify that  file and upload to the web when you are connected again, normally people use Word Processors like Word processor, not need that  millions of functions that comes with MS office, and believe me this is only the  beginning, there are WEB BASE, databases, videoconfernce, CRM, Bussines Intelligence etc..

hope this be usefull for all..

Comments

[Michael Durnack]

I see the greatest benefit in collaboration.

As for safety and security, to be safer than the federal government, they may only need to keep the hard drives encrypted and the laptops from going home.

But in reality, the security will be put to the test by thousands of hackers who would want nothing more than the bragging rights of sticking a thorn into the sides of one of the "big guys", who will likely be the standout and favored source for web apps.

It will be up to us, to decide on what personal or corporate information we want to have sitting out there, out of our control.

We all need to be the best defenders of our information.

Look around at the constant disclosures of data breaches to observe what happens to information in the hands of others.

[Francisco Moreno]

Thanks for the comment, and im sure we will need to be the best defenders of our infromation, maybe must think in levels of security, or a new pattern of security, the reason is because i see very diffcult than some one can offer a security structure, maybe thats a good point for Web Apps.. the need to find the way to offer personalized security, and some kind of serlf recognition or copyright for the files created using the Web apps, Thanks for the comment and you are right, bit like i said i think its only the beginning, there are a lot of things to solve yet, but thats the main objective for a new pattern on the Human Psyche. COLLABORATION.

[John Clayton Caris]

Hi Paco - I wish to agree with Michael Durnack that the greatest advantages Google Apps bring to us are our collaborations around shared documents that are always the latest versions available to all who need to use them - Needing only a browser.

I am amused with the "nit-picking" comments I have been reading on the blogs about Google Apps not being as function rich as the MS Office, etc., etc. We all know that - But that is not the point - Exploring and Developing the flow of human collaboration in a flexible system environment with only essential functionality is my opinion of what is important now. As functionality is needed it surely will come.

We are headed in the right direction to embed ourselves in the Web-Based world - I like to see the "gApps" as an emerging "Morphic Field" foundation for the types of living system leadership that interest us.

The Web-Based world is developing a new reality that we know as "Living System Life and Work"

God Speed with what you are pioneering.