My point was that, eventually, it won't even be a web frontend. They'll just get the web browser out of the equation. Of course, a web "widget" is still going to be there, it just won't be a program you open.
I do believe Java failed mostly due to politics -- and more precisely, due to this:
> browser vendors (especially microsoft) were against java becoming the dominating platform
Everyone agreed, in principle, that a portable, high-performance VM was what we needed. The problem was that every vendor insisted it had to be theirs, while ever so slightly sabotaging other vendors.
In the meantime, they all had to provide a working web browser.
Well, probably you are right. In this case it is the main lesson to learn - if we want something to happen, we must think how to "hack" the social system, how to refactor the political/social situation. Technically a common platform for applications is not a difficult problem. BTW, I do not blame Microsoft more than others; as you say, every vendor tried to sabotage others, including Sun who didn't suggest a solution sufficiently beneficial, or unavoidable, for everyone.
I do believe Java failed mostly due to politics -- and more precisely, due to this:
> browser vendors (especially microsoft) were against java becoming the dominating platform
Everyone agreed, in principle, that a portable, high-performance VM was what we needed. The problem was that every vendor insisted it had to be theirs, while ever so slightly sabotaging other vendors.
In the meantime, they all had to provide a working web browser.