Interesting post over at HorsePigCow predicting the demise of the browser (along with a pretty swanky cemetery picture). She has some good thoughts about why browsers are dead and why they’re being misused today. I’ve always felt that we are doing too much within the browser. Ajax is a great technology, but it relies too heavily on how that particular browser renders the code which causes headaches for developers and users alike. The next step for applications is to move beyond the browser, and take advantage of the content of the web without having to worry about whether or not you are running the most recent version of Safari.

Are “connected desktop apps” the answer? Not at all. Who wants to install 5 different applications so you can read a blog. But with tools like Apollo, we will be able to deliver desktop functionality in a Rich Internet Application package. And with technologies like Flex, we can serve applications directly from the web and run them above the OS and outside the browser.

It’s good to see that the marketing types are thinking about this, because it’s coming, and the more people start to realize that we’re close to making it a reality, the more attention RIAs will get. Kudos Tara.

Related posts:

1. Stupid, Stupid Browsers
2. Enjoy Vista, the Operating System as You Know it is Dead
3. The King is Dead, Long Live the King