I had something of a wow moment this morning, and I’m not talking about the 30 years today since my first date with my wife, true though that it, no, it was a headline that the development of apps has created 500,000 new jobs.
That’s quite something, and I can see that these jobs will be around for a while, especially if Microsoft’s idea that large desktop apps, should also have small single purpose apps as well, woven into windows 8.
I say that because if it comes to pass (and I am not certain that it will) then it re-enforces the whole app concept of apps focusing on doing one thing well.
Steve
ok ok, so why am I not certain about the Microsoft approach.
whilst it is true that most folks use 20% of the available functionality of a desktop application (using the old 20/80 figures, through for some apps the range is much higher, eg powerpoint)
So if you said lets add a range of single purpose apps there will become a proliferation of apps on your system, and this clutter will be difficult to maintain, understand, and use. Thus I think a lot of folks will continue to go to a full on word processor if they are writing anything more than a simple missive.
That’s not to say that there is not a place for apps, for example an app that provides a summary of the books, would be useful for accountants and their staff.
And there is I guess the greatest challenge that apps need to solve, clutter, the many many pages of apps each with a lot of apps on each. Ways to categorize, search for, and be reminded of apps are key. And I do not think that Ubuntu, Windows, iOS or Android have quite fixed this yet, even with the search pages, the folder concepts and the notifications/alerts functions. These are as yet to disparate in their management of the apps, resulting in many being only run once or twice and then collecting silicone dust for the rest of their time on your device/computer.
All Things Mobile 
Posted on October 9, 2012
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