The web is still the place

Software developer Reginald Braithwaite on Twitter likely killing off updates for their Mac client:

Even if they have a new version “in the can,” releasing it today means people falling in love with its features and being even more resistant to using the web. It means support costs. It means sending a mixed message. If the web’s the place, why not go “all in” on it now? Why wait for tomorrow if it’s the right decision today?

And why wouldn’t it be the right decision? The web is the ultimate write-once, run-everywhere platform. Why incur the additional expense and headache of maintaining multiple, heterogenous development platforms unless a vendor forces your hand by selling a gajillion devices that don’t have a decent web browser?

I tend to agree with Reginald here. Granted, I, like almost everyone else, is pissed about Twitter’s recent antagonism toward third party clients. Yet Twitter’s own official app has to support a huge number of platforms, especially when considering the global marketplace. The web in this context makes sense.