Abstract
For better or worse, the web browser has become a
widely used target platform for software applications.
Desktop-style applications such as word processors,
spreadsheets, calendars, games and instant messaging
systems that were earlier written for specific operating
systems, CPU architectures or devices are now written
for the World Wide Web, to be used from a web
browser. In this paper we summarize our experiences
in using the web browser as a target platform for real
applications. As a concrete example, we use the Sun™
Labs Lively Kernel, a system that implements an
exceptionally interactive web programming
environment running in a web browser without any
plug-in components. Based on this work, we analyze
the limitations, challenges and opportunities related to
the web browser as an application platform.
1. Introduction
The widespread adoption of the World Wide Web
has fundamentally changed the landscape of software
development. In the past few years, the Web has
become a popular deployment environment for new
software systems and applications. We believe that in
the near future the vast majority of new software
applications will be written for the Web, instead of
conventional target platforms such as specific
operating systems, CPU architectures or devices.
In general, the software industry is currently
experiencing a paradigm shift towards web-based
software. In the new era of web-based software,
applications live on the Web as services. They consist
of data, code and other resources that can be located
anywhere in the world. Furthermore, they require no
installation or manual upgrades. Ideally, applications
should also support user collaboration, i.e., allow
multiple users to interact and share the same
applications and data over the Internet.
In the era of web-based software, the web browser
will take an ever more encompassing, central role in
our lives. Among other things, the web browser will
take over many roles that conventional operating
systems used to have in serving as a launchpad and a
host platform for applications when they are run. In the
eyes of the average computer user, the web browser
will effectively be the de facto operating system.
In this paper1 we summarize our experiences in
using a regular web browser as a platform for real,
desktop-style applications. As a concrete example, we
use the Sun™ Labs Lively Kernel (see
http://research.sunprojects/lively/) – a system
that pushes the limits of the web browser by
implementing an exceptionally interactive web
programming environment that runs in a web browser
without installation or any plug-in components
whatsoever. The absence of browser plug-ins makes
the Lively Kernel different from other web application
development systems such as Adobe AIR
(http://adobeproducts/air/) or Microsoft
Silverlight (http://microsoftsilverlight/).
Based on this work, we analyze the limitations,
challenges and opportunities related to the web
browser and web applications more generally. We also
provide a number of recommendations for future
improvements.
The structure of this paper is as follows. In Section
2, we provide a historical summary of the evolution of
the Web, focusing especially on the ongoing transition
from web pages towards web applications. We also
provide an overview of the Sun Labs Lively Kernel – a
flexible web programming environment designed at
Sun Labs. In Section 3, we summarize our experiences
in using the web browser as an application platform,
taking a look at the various issues that we have
discovered. In Section 4, we provide suggestions for
future improvement. Section 5 concludes the paper.

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