Classic case of solution looking for a problem...

This looks great, not only the capacity to emulate many browsers, but a whole bunch of additional fun and games (literally). You just need to install a plug-in and off you go.

Unfortunately the privacy policy sucks. They need to work on the conditions under which they can release personal information before I install this plugin. Which gets a "MEH" from me, for the time being.

The problem with Spoon is that they're trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist. Here are the facts as I see them:

1. People don't mind installing applications on their computers. Plus, I found the streaming of the application - which you have to do every time - took longer than it takes to install most small applications - which you only have to do once.

2. More and more application providers are turning to the SAAS (Software as a Service) model and are available in pure web form. All you have to do is use your fingers to type a URL.

3. They're fighting the advancement of the Cloud. Even though their tag line says "Run Your Applications from the Cloud," they don't really do that. They're running the applications on your computer.

All in all, I think this product misses the mark. But who knows? Maybe they can sell to legacy app providers that can't convert to SAAS. It could be a cheap way for these companies to claim they have a "cloud" strategy.

Rafi Kronzon
http://blog.cartwheelit.com

I've never used Spoon's primary service, but they offer a useful and free browser simulator: http://www.spoon.net/browsers/

It's great for developers who need to test their sites in a variety of browsers (IE6, old versions of Safari, Firefox, Opera, etc.).