Isn’t flatpak/snap fundamentally different from gr...

# graviton-browser

[Adam Risberg]

Isn’t flatpak/snap fundamentally different from graviton? I’m thinking about the proposed app streaming in graviton that is closer to the experience on the web.

[wakingrufus]

How they work would be very different, but they are basically solving the same problem, as I understand it. software repository with auto-updates and sandboxing. Unless I am missing something about graviton?

[wakingrufus]

I am totally on board with the idea that the web is good for documents, but sucks for applications.

[wakingrufus]

I am just having trouble seeing what the value proposition of graviton is over existing native app management solutions is.

[mikehearn]

well, why do people write web apps instead of snaps today?

[wakingrufus]

i think at this point it is two major things: write once, run anywhere, and familiarity with the stack/frameworks

[wakingrufus]

i guess i should saw i also see the value of a native app framework to make developing native apps easier

[wakingrufus]

but why couple the framework to the delivery mechanism?

[wakingrufus]

I am not trying to say anything bad about the graviton idea, I am just, in good faith, trying to understand what the main sell of this approach is

[mikehearn]

i think the main reason people started writing web apps, back when non-web was dominant, is ease of distribution and app update especially to locked down IT desktops.

[mikehearn]

that is, IT was comfortable with the sandboxing of web apps, so did not feel a need to approve every website visited in most cases, at least not inside the intranet, whereas they exerted huge control over app distribution to desktops. partly because it was very awkward

[mikehearn]

and it still is. snap/flatpak are linux specific.

[mikehearn]

the other platforms all push app store models but they're consumer focused and often have many catches attached

[wakingrufus]

ok so one idea here is that exists totally in userland?