Yeah it's moreso the size of the web "standards" (makes it hard for anyone to create a new implementation), the interest groups that control it, the amount of baggage it has acquired over time (and started with), and the inefficiency and other problems that come with using text-based formats that require parsers and stuff. WebAssembly could be a good replacement if there is ever a standardized "desktop" API that doesn't require javascript, but for now WASM is just another barrier to creating an implementation of the web standards.
Doesn't seem like its going anywhere fast and the main thing it needs is a graphics API and interface to act as a desktop like program. I just don't know if there's enough motivation from big companies to do that. I doubt Google wants creating a web browser to become simpler. There really just needs to be a specific project to replace HTTP+HTML+CSS+JS+WASM with HTTP+WASM or QUIC+WASM or something.
Yeah it's moreso the size of the web "standards" (makes it hard for anyone to create a new implementation), the interest groups that control it, the amount of baggage it has acquired over time (and started with), and the inefficiency and other problems that come with using text-based formats that require parsers and stuff. WebAssembly could be a good replacement if there is ever a standardized "desktop" API that doesn't require javascript, but for now WASM is just another barrier to creating an implementation of the web standards.
There is! It's called WASI and it's being standardized.
Otherwise, there's nothing stopping you from making Electron apps with wasm right now, of course.
Doesn't seem like its going anywhere fast and the main thing it needs is a graphics API and interface to act as a desktop like program. I just don't know if there's enough motivation from big companies to do that. I doubt Google wants creating a web browser to become simpler. There really just needs to be a specific project to replace HTTP+HTML+CSS+JS+WASM with HTTP+WASM or QUIC+WASM or something.
Take a look at WebGPU, which can be used from wasm. It's an upcoming standard, but we also have had WebGL since forever.