In the continuing the review and discussion of Safari, Jason Kottke asks the intriguing question why are Safari and Sherlock two different applications?
Jason argues that there is little distinction between web browsing and using specialized interfaces for structured data. He provides screen mockups of Safari to illustrate his point. An active discussion in the comment boards follows.
Back in September I wrote as the Internet continues to evolve into an 'Internet operating system'--programmable interfaces, ubiquitous access, and distributed computing resources--the document-centric browser is an awkward solution to a growing number of emerging needs. The browser is not dying by any means; it just needs a mate.
Reading about Remote Application Development with Mozilla, the mod_pubsub open source project KnowNow kicked off and discussions like the one Jason is leading have me reconsidering my view. Does the browser really need a mate in as much as it needs to expand its range?
Could browsers like Mozilla and Safari/Konqueror be the basis of simple lightweight structured interfaces for accessing network resources and microcontent? What if these browser brought bookmarklets and remote XUL to the forefront as equal partners to viewing webpages?
More intriguing questions and experiments lie ahead.
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