Kevin Tofel Takes the Web Only Challenge

We’ve had Paperless Challenges before and I guess it is time for someone to take the Web Only or Cloud Challenge. Kevin Tofel of jkOnTheRun has stepped up to the plate. With a few exceptions and caveats, he’s going to try and make his browser the only client application that he is running. While I fully understand Kevin’s exceptions, they do point to the fact that it is tough to go web only in his circumstance as a few of his key podcaster’s tools (Skype, audio editing software, connectivity) require a client.

Whether or not Kevin succeeds in his challenge will not only be fun to follow, but intriguing, given the wave of ultra-sub-mini-mobile-low cost-portable choices we’ve just seen announced, that have an obvious attraction to those who are looking to the cloud. A lot of folks are banking on mobile professionals and students being able to get by with lighter overhead devices that obviously trade power for mobility and lower costs.

For what it is worth, I think we are still very much in the early stages of cloud computing. In my own circumstance there are some intriguing but not yet there options if I wanted to ditch some of my client applications. Kevin refers often to heavy graphics work as one type of work you won’t be doing in the cloud. Here’s one of the key deal breakers for me: spreadsheets. I’ve looked at the options that are out there, but in my work, none of them allow me to do the work I need to do the way a client, (Microsoft Excel) does.

Kevin says he’s testing out a ““lifestyle,” a ““paradigm shift,” and ““a glimpse into what I expect we’ll see in the future.” I think his premise is correct. I’m guessing for many that future involves both services in the cloud a as well as client applications. As I said, this will be interesting to follow.