Web Things, by Mark Baker

ZapThink gets it totally backwards;

Rich clients will supplant portals as the primary interface to Web Services and Service-oriented functionality in the enterprise by the end of 2007.

Bzzt.

These guys need to get out more. Go check out some of the KnowNow or mod_pubsub demos for an example of what’s possible with existing (nevermind next-generation!!) thin-clients.

Sure, a fat-client approach may have some minor advantages (more responsive?), but zero-install is da bomb, baby; once you’ve tried it, there’s no going back. Ask any CIO; they’ll gladly accept a slightly suckier zero-install solution over a fat client solution any day of the week.