Well, this is an idea that has been kicking around for some time, but it was highlighted by a discussion I was having at work today. When will the OS as we know it die, and be replaced by the browser as the OS of choice? Consider all of the applications offered by Google, which are increasingly tackling tasks previously mastered only by the most expensive software known to man.

Certainly, things like OpenOffice offer free alternatives to the standard desktop application, but what i’m talking about is a more fundamental shift, away from the installed app, and toward a decentralised approach to computing.

Imagine the day when you purchase a Linux box that comes with the latest build of Firefox (or its ilk), and instead of all the apps, you just launch the browser, log into your favourite online app service, and away you go.

It’s not so crazy, when you think about it – at least for the average home user. What do we really use at home anyway? Email, photos, basic word docs, spreadsheets, and movie/game playback. Don’t know how it would work with big business, but by using tools like Confluence (which we use at Red Ant), and free web-based blog software like WordPress, the shift to the online documentation of process has begun in earnest.

So my question is, will there be a complete shift away from the standard desktop-based paradigm, and if so how long will it take for it to occur?