Hi Rick,

>When's the last time you've used a browser app for the desktop with local data to date? Reality is that if you run a local app you're expecting something better than the browser. Online apps are one thing, but if you use an offline app the expectations tend to be different IMHO. If I go down the desktop path I want an app that integrates with the OS not some hacky Web view that's offline.

I think there a two ways to think/ask for a browser app with local data:
First is the point you mention above, where there is :
more/better controls, better user support, better interaction, graphic tricks,
in general more hand-coded functionality in C and added user exp in not code-free V
which I agree is still MUCH easier to implement in .Net compared to fwk-enhanced JS.

The second way is the possibility of a not too eye-candy heavy application,
where still every field has oodles of DD-based help/user info/hints/client side "standard" validation,
local lookup values and so on working on once-loaded client data.
Speed IS a feature, caching a part of it.
Also when only a phone connection is available, having an option to work offline and resync later
when WLAN or cable-LAN is available again for some road warrior scenarios is heaven sent.

my 0.02€

Thomas