Desktop software is on its return; web interfaces are the way to go. However running several web apps in a browser is not the best way to work. Instead of selecting the apps you use from your dock, or task bar in Windows, you find yourself wielding through tabs. A bad page may freeze your apps and you may even occasionally close your app by accident.
So if you often use Gmail, Facebook, Campfire or any other web app you need a different approach. With Fluid run each of your favorite web apps as a separate desktop application. Fluid gives any web app a home on your Mac OS X desktop complete with Dock icon, standard menu bar, and logical separation from your other web browsing activity. Fluid is highly inspired by the excellent Prism which is the equivalent on Windows.
I am now using it for some weeks and it really adds to the user experience. Best of both worlds I would say. Next step would be to publish them on a thin client so you wouldn’t need an OS anymore.
Haven’t tried these. Is it similar to Google Gears?