Interware

There has been a lot of buzz in the air about the future of the internet. I previously touched on this in The Bleeding Edge. I thought it might be intriguing to dig deeper into the future of the internet and give you one idea that I think will pan out in the upcoming years.

The Internet As The Next “Operating System”

The biggest trend that I’ve seen is an ever evolving move toward OS style web interfaces (see ColourMod.com). With technologies such as AJAX appearing, server/client-side programming is accomplishing things more quickly and efficiently than ever before. As technology improves software will become interware (if this word ever becomes main stream, you heard it here first ; ).

Interware are applications that are used over the internet. A good example of this emerging trend is TurboTax. TurboTax started off selling their software to be installed directly onto your computer. They have since made it available to users online. This means that you run the “application” through your browser, without having to install software onto your computer.

Basecamp is another example of software becoming interware. In the past companies used software residing on their computers to manage clients, tasks, contacts, etc. Basecamp redefines this approach by allowing a person to have their own project management system online.

The benefits and implications of interware are astounding. The most significant implication would be the switch from hard copy software being installed on a computer to using software via the internet. Think about running Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Word through your internet browser!

A major benefit would be cross-platform compatibility. An interware application would be compatible with any OS. Companies would only have to develop one application, instead of three (Mac OS X, Windows, Linux). Consumers would also have access to more applications due to the cross-platform compatibility.

Interware also expands the connectivity of people. Basecamp, for instance, is most beneficial because of its ability to allow employees, or consultants, to stay up-to-date on jobs, deadlines and contacts wherever they may be.

Imagine two designers working collaboratively via an interware application of Photoshop. This would redefine teamwork as we know it.

What Does This Mean For The Web Designer?

Web pages are going to become more and more complicated. Consequently web designers need to start being proactive in their skills. Server/client-side scripting is the future. Pages are becoming dynamically driven at a rapid pace. This means that the web designer needs stay up-to-date on what is happening and be familiar with how design interacts and relates to programming. Designers who have a good background in programming are more likely to succeed in the web design world than those who just do design.

Never tire of learning. I can’t believe how fast things are changing. It’s imperative that you teach yourself new things, learn new techniques and think outside of the box. This will be critical for a web designer to stay ahead of the rest.