The way business is done
Cloud, Web, or Wireless - the fact is that more and more business applications are "cutting the wire." If we don't stay with it, we will be left behind in the dust.
I disagree with the heavy data applications argument: in fact, a good cloud/web server will have higher data rate capability and throughput than most desktop stations. House it in the server farm with direct connection to the backbone for the data access, and only the web/cloud/intranet interface looking out. Data throughput should not be the bottleneck.
"Native applications shine in this ability to handle multiple UI's"? Nonsense! I have created and run major data systems that handle multiple UI's for years, including conveyor and fixed scanners, fixed desktop workstations, handheld batch scanners, wireless scanners - all different UI's, connecting in various ways to a single database, each supplying their own piece of relevant information. Only at a couple of low levels were native code applications necessary, and those were device drivers. Yes, native device drivers are a necessary evil. But they are more single-point, single-purpose, not suited to a generic installation on many platforms.
"Lose your network"? EVERY desktop is just about toast when the company intranet goes down. It doesn't matter whether it's native if it can't access the data.
"Try creating your 40 slide dynamic presentation on a mobile phone." Well how about "Take your desktop workstation with its native app to a customer site." Both examples are ridiculous, obviously using the wrong platform for the job.
"tablet and mobile ... do not have the ability to really do heavy efficient work without a full keyboard and mouse." I agree, but what does that have to do with the native/cloud/web decision? You're arguing for native apps based on hardware capabilities. Again, you do need the right platform for the job, but that has nothing to do with the software development decision in question.
"Native applications shine in this ability to handle multiple UI." Nothing could be more bogus! Native applications are almost always tied to a particular hardware and OS configuration. Web applications are about as universal as it gets. One well-designed web app on the server runs clients on PC/Windows, Mac/OSX, Android, iPad/iOS, Linux and more! Show me any native app that installs on all of those platforms - the few that exist are BROWSERS!
In development applications, native applications are practical and necessary. But for most business production applications, client/server applications for cloud, web, and wireless are easier to interface with the wide variety of platforms in today's business environment.
