data-centralization

Paul Graham recounts the founding of Viaweb, one of the first web-based application service providers, and argues that software running on servers accessed via browsers will become the dominant model. He explains the advantages of web-based software for users, including convenience, mobility, easier upgrades, and data safety, while also describing the complex, city-like infrastructure required for developers to build and maintain these applications. The chapter envisions a future where client devices are simple interfaces and software plus data reside centrally, fundamentally changing software development and usage.

Paul Graham recounts the founding of Viaweb in 1995 and the pioneering decision to run software on web servers rather than desktops, anticipating the rise of web-based applications or Application Service Providers (ASPs). He argues that web-based software offers significant advantages for users, including ease of use, mobility, automatic updates, and data safety, while also transforming software development into a complex, multi-component system akin to designing a city rather than a building. The chapter highlights the shift from owning software and data on personal computers to accessing applications and data remotely via the web, predicting this as the future of software.