Should we be creating rich desktop Vista applications or online hosted bots or agents?

#1 Ask yourself this, would Google build an all knowing desktop app or web app?

• A web app, accessible anytime, from anywhere, from any device, and with access to all your personal data and history stored in the cloud

#2 What is it that a Messenger bot or presence based application with a set of pre-defined context, static information and access to pre-determined dynamic data sets provides over a rich desktop application?

• Presence enabled application
• Multiple communication end-points (IM, VoIP, mobile, e-mail)
• Roaming user “cloud” data
• Centralized feedback mechanism for the application
• Integration with user profile data
• 7x24 availability w/SLA
• Granular reporting on the effectives
• Viral spread with no need to force updates

#3 Are there verticals where bots or agents are more applicable?

• Certainly, verticals where a business wants to take advantage of (demographics of the IM audience, the viral spread of these applications, and the lightweight design required to proto-type an application, get rich conversational feedback from users, remotely manage a portion of the pre-determined application intereactions.)

Cheers,
Todd Biggs
Windows Live Agents
toddb@microsoft.com