alt Hacker NewsThis highlights the differences between what developers want vs. what (some) end users want. Developers love the web because they can change things and deploy instantly, they can have a single version of their app "out there" and not have to worry about clients running old software, and they can take their software down when it becomes inconvenient to maintain. Users on the other hand, like apps: They don't want their app changing out from under them suddenly. They want to be allowed to use the old version they are comfortable with and that's not stuffed with ads. And they want the assurance that the software will actually be there the next time they want to use it.
I personally have no love for web apps either. No matter how many well-behaving developers are out there, the median web developer has ruined the web as an app platform to the point where I view web software as generally hostile, ad-filled, spyware, that's under the control of and serves the web developer's interests over the end user's interests.
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Interesting. Since we're talking about PWAs, which are essentially apps running in the sandbox of a web client (i.e. browser), the issue you raise could presumably be fixed in an instant with a client-side setting: "Do not update this app".
In addition, it’s a lot easier to seek rent with a web app which is also likely a big factor.
I’m a dev and understand how web apps can be attractive to us, but as a user they irritate me. During my formative years, software by and large served the user over the dev, so flipping the scales entirely in my favor as a dev feels almost wrong.