So, one of the more important features of HTML 5 is the offline database. An Outlook-like application is shown in the above video, and it looks the same on two different devices. Powerful stuff for developers - which is almost a garauntee that offline databases will be used inappropriately at some point.
Thinking briefly about some scenarios where we might benefit from an offline DB for web pages, I've come up with the following apps I think would work well:
- Medical Applications - One of the most common offline applications in the medical field is a prescription drug database, one which allows a doctor or pharmacist to look up items in their formularies for interactions or indications. I think HTML 5's ability to provide an offline datastore would be a great way to provide this functionality in an industry standard manner. Whether or not the companies producing the software would agree that is another question - after all, you're talking about their company's know-how being packaged in such a way as to be repurposed by anyone with the motivation.
- Car mechanic database applications - Car shops are in a difficult position, as most of their software comes in big 50+ GB packages, listing every single car ever manufactured. The software is helpful in that it details nearly every procedure, but it's also problematic. Since it's so big, it's got to sit on a computer somewhere... Since it's in a shop, that computer sits well out of harms way in the back office. If a small, rugged device could sync up one car at a time (let's pretend it's the diagnostic computer or a handheld device), you could have more information at the mechanic's finger tips.
- Having game collection data available at any time - what can I say, I'm a fan of providing my site's data anywhere my "clients" go!
- CRM - It'll be awfully tempting for people to develop a Customer Relationship Management site which allows for offline browsing of contact info. It seems to make a lot of sense on the surface, and if done right, it could be the "killer app" for HTML 5. However, I worry that an offline cache such as this won't offer any manner of protection of company data. What happens when someone copies the offline DB? What happens when a laptop is stolen? Many CRM programs out there now offer at least some protection in these scenarios.
- Medical Applications -Anything involving personal patient information should stay the heck away from this until it is WELL known what the security risks are, and that those security risks can be mitigated.
But, why go offline when wirless/cellular broadband is available most places you go?
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