Web apps are all the rage. It seems users are willing to exchange functionality for convenience. Don’t get us wrong, we see the benefits of web apps. One central server to maintain, they can be hosted or on-premises, and users can access the applications from almost any computer. So why do so many choose a classic desktop application? Speed and functionality.
TeamWORKS web apps pull back data faster than any web app we know. In spite of that, the classic app is still faster. Not only in the exchange of data but also when changing pages or moving between modules. There is simply no way to replicate the speed and ease of use found in a desktop app…or is there?
There is a little known TeamWORKS solution out there known as Virtual or Remote Apps. TeamWORKS has been delivering our Virtual Apps since 2002. When we started we asked for help from Microsoft®. When they saw what we were doing the response was “Wow! Nobody else is even close to this.”.
So why virtual?
Virtual Remote Apps offers the benefits of web applications (e.g. central server, accessibility, no install) along with the benefits of classic apps (e.g. speed, ease of use, familiar functions). So what’s the catch? Money and experience. After we started hosting remote apps, we watched to see what our competitors were doing in the space. Sure some claimed to have a way to do it, but we were actually doing it, successfully. Imagine you are running a sophisticated desktop application that exchanges data with a database server. Every time there is a software upgrade or a new computer you have to call IT to install the app and set it up. Now imagine this:
- You get a shiny new computer.
- You need that same sophisticated app.
- Visit your intranet site, select to download the shortcut and a few clicks later BAM! A desktop shortcut to your remote app. It’s the same classic app you’ve always used without the hassle.
Welcome to Virtual Remote Applications!