Why does this feel like integrated software all over again?

I know that I keep hyping the idea of webapps, but an article on Ajax desktops in Publish magazine leaves me wondering how many people actually want such a product. They remind me of the integrated product craze that flared up in the early to mid-Eighties. It was felt by many users and software designers that only being able to run one program at a time was a major limitation of PC-DOS, the dominant operating system of the time. Many software companies started working on the problem of running multiple PC applications simultaneously, and we all know how this story turns out. Some of the companies, however, decided that as long as they were allowing word processors, spreadsheets and databases to work together, they might as well try to sell people new versions of these applications. The users declined this offer and chose to run Windows and individual products for each app.

Software designers always underestimate the desire of users to run individual products for separate tasks. I'm afraid these web desktops will allow me to tie together a collection of mediocre apps, and I'm supposed to be impressed because I can move windows around on a page. I already can move windows around on my screen, that's why its called Windows. There seems to be a fundamental rule that a software company can make a few great products, but nobody can build a collection of best of breed products. Inevitably users choose the unbundled model for greater choice. But to be fair, I'll give each of the seven sites listed in the article a try and report back. I am curious to see just how GUI a webapp can be.