Computers or web browsers

Most of the time I surf the web using Google Chrome, although I also use Opera on occasion. Recently Google have decided to go down the 'App Store' path, by offering applications and extensions that run in your browser. Obviously I have looked at the chess offerings, and they are at this stage a mixed bag (although shredder chess is good).

Obviously this is part of the trend towards running more and more stuff remotely through your browser, rather than having it installed on your machines. The assumption behind this is that we are rapidly becoming a 'wired' (or 'wireless') society, with connection to the internet being a permanent thing. Certainly this is a reasonable expectation (at least in industrialised countries), but it does depend on being able to access these services.

At the moment I am looking at mobile broadband as a way of solving the hotel extortion/no wireless available/can't find an internet cafe problems I have when I travel (for blogging/game broadcasting purposes), although I must say I'm not really impressed what is on offer in Australia. The usual equation of expensive rates/restrictive usage conditions is the major problem, but the desire for comprehensive coverage is also a constraint.

The upshot of it is that while I really want to join the 'all interent all the time' world (and avail myself of the online service model), it is not as easy as I thought. And it is these issues that not only affect me, but may also affect those offering the services.