There are some important fundamental differences between X apps and Web apps.
The "display side" of Web apps can do a lot of useful processing which cannot be done on the "display side" of X apps. JavaScript is not my favorite technology, and the performance is, at best, mediocre, but you can perform useful computations with it.
Also, well written Web apps can reduce network activity to a minimum.
Consider, for a moment, if ten thousand people were using HN via an X app. HN would need monster servers and monster bandwidth to handle all that load, even if the users were only scrolling through comments or spending minutes typing up replies.
During the time I've been typing this reply, the Web app side of HN is making no network calls and putting no demand on HN's servers at all.
I've seen people vaguely equate X apps and Web apps before, and I'm always bothered by it since they have such important fundamental differences that change everything.
Comments
There are some important fundamental differences between X apps and Web apps.
The "display side" of Web apps can do a lot of useful processing which cannot be done on the "display side" of X apps. JavaScript is not my favorite technology, and the performance is, at best, mediocre, but you can perform useful computations with it.
Also, well written Web apps can reduce network activity to a minimum.
Consider, for a moment, if ten thousand people were using HN via an X app. HN would need monster servers and monster bandwidth to handle all that load, even if the users were only scrolling through comments or spending minutes typing up replies.
During the time I've been typing this reply, the Web app side of HN is making no network calls and putting no demand on HN's servers at all.
I've seen people vaguely equate X apps and Web apps before, and I'm always bothered by it since they have such important fundamental differences that change everything.