I’ve posted about Buzzword before, the upcoming online (/offline with Apollo?) word processor. To me Buzzword really illustrates why I continue to back Flash and Flex over AJAX. I don’t care what people use if it’s a good experience, but the limitations are definitely becoming more and more apparent, and perhaps in 2007 we will begin to see the Flash apps just accelerating away from the current kings of the RIA scene, not just in demos and prototypes, but in the real world. The great thing about this game is that you don’t have to compete by spreading FUD, you can just build users by building better experiences, they (/we) are a fickle bunch!
I’d recommend watching the whole screencast, there are some real innovations in there for word processors, let alone a web app. Right now I use (Neo/)Open Office because it does everything I need and more. I tried using Google Docs but it was a little too rudimentary and hardly the same experience. However if Buzzword is offered as an Apollo app, and why not, then I’ll definitely give it a go, and if it isn’t quite there, the limits for a version 2 using a newer release of the Flash Player should alleviate any concerns.
Ryan Stewart is asking for great examples of slick, visually impressive (“sexy”), fluid AJAX applications, so far nothing that makes me say wow. I think Buzzword might become the bar things have to live up to, at least for a couple of weeks after its release 😉