Re: [w3c/manifest] suggest in standard calling website->webapp process unified "add to home screen" or such in all browsers (not install) (Issue #1096)

Thanks for the detailed answer.

I think on another day I will read the spec fully and come up with more concrete suggestions. I simply dont have the energy now.

Some quick observations until then:
The word "install" is 61 times in the spec though it is a fact that no installation happens. The same thing is launched in the same browser, there is a kind of os integration, launch icons, the browser may (should) become headless etc.

Web app is not defined. I am not sure it is clear from the spec what a web app is. It states that a web app exists before "install" (so web sites can be web apps) and web apps (sites?) can be installed.

I think it would be more clear that there are websites inside the browser and then they become web apps when:
1. user initiates it (a guiding note could be that dragging the web domain with pointer (finger, mouse) COULD/SHOULD be an option since it represents the intention to use the domain out of the browser on os level and create an app icon on the home screen)
2. the app icon appears on the home screen (desktop etc. more broadly along with other native app equivalent os integration like launchers, different app discoverability os features)
3. they launch full screen without any browser UX (no just UI but no refresh, navigation or any browser shortcuts or navigation working, a browser is just the engine)

I dont think the spec is bad at telling us things, but it is not clear/optimal what the spec really wants. It really boils down to definitions etc. Website, web app, is it even possible to have a web app inside a browser? I think not, it appears to be a very nice differentiating line: website inside, app on os level like all apps.

I am not sure I am very much interested in what a spec can force or not, what I meant is
1. clear concepts
2. guiding notes

There are already guiding notes in the spec, and for example I see on all platforms that this guiding note is nicely followed:

User agents SHOULD provide a mechanism for the user to remove an [installed web application](https://www.w3.org/TR/appmanifest/#dfn-installed-web-application) application.
It is RECOMMENDED that at the time of removal, the user agent also present the user with an opportunity to revoke other persistent data and settings associated with the application, such as permissions and persistent storage.

Since the spec is not a standard and the real life web app thing is far from being optimal, there should be an openness to even a big rethink.

But if I have time, I will read the specs, get a feel of it and write some concrete suggestions.




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