Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Death to Browsing

The first time I came across Adobe AIR, the Flash-like software the enables a desktop application to sync with a website whether the user is online or not, I realized that the way we used the Web was about to change.

Not because the technology was so revolutionary. We've been down the "best new technology" road before only to watch it fade as the next "best" came to market. AIR -- and applications like it -- will change the browsing experience because the philosophy behind emerging software development gives users control of a site's design, information, sharing and experience.

Think about that for a moment.

Companies are just getting used to the idea that social media -- those technologies that allow for open, distributed communication -- has changed the way they have to do business. Openness is key (Apple excluded).

Now, they have to face a world where the medium of their message is being usurped. Imagine a world where individuals had control over the look, feel and layout of a website. That will fundamentally change branding, marketing, public relations, ecommerce and customer service at any business. And users will soon demand this type of experience,  particularly on ecommerce sites.

As companies open up their APIs, which allows software developers to understand how data from a site is called from a database for instance, these new software tools like AIR enable anyone to create a customized browsing or desktop experience.

And that will force companies to re-evaluate how they do business. Again.

Posted By Brad King at 08:41 PM
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