Good old Robert Scoble raises the question of why Pandora is a web app and not a rich client. This is something we gave a great deal of thought to and I think in the end we have some really great reasons for wanting to be a web app. First, there are a lot of thick client music applications (iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody) so that’s pretty well traveled ground. There aren’t so many web based applications that have really nailed a listening-centric music application. It’s always more interesting to try something new, to go left when everyone else goes right. But it’s much more than that. For a little taste, look in the sidebar on my blog (those of you in an aggregator will have to stop by http://tomconrad.blogspot.com) — see the stations? The little form to create your own station? We think it’s really fun that folks will be able to throw this kind of thing onto their blog or homepage, share stations via email and know that the people that encounter the links won’t have to install a thing. Just one click and they’re listening. That’s powerful, and much too appealing an opportunity to pass up.
I’ll post again later this week about how to link to Pandora directly; for now feel free to pick apart the meager HTML I slapped together tonight for my sidebar. This stuff is pretty basic right now; stay tuned – you haven’t seen anything yet.
