Help! A positive phrase for "non-Web application"?

[JX <techwrl-list-only -at- doitall -dot- com>]

Executive summary: I want a nice positive phrase that non-Web application
developers will quickly identify as referring to THEM without invoking the
phrase "Web application" in the phrase itself nor negating a concept. Do you
have suggestions? See below for details....


My client's software product is a developer tool (libraries) for a wide
variety of development environments. Yet, in practice most developers use it
for Web application development.

I need to frequently make a distinction between Web applications and other
applications. In this context of this product, "Web application" means an
application that relies on HTML, HTML image tags, and end-user Web browsers
to display its content.

There is a new API that is available for all apps, but is really useful only
for non-Web applications. It's important that Web application developers NOT
try to use it because it will send them down the wrong path design-wise.
(Sorry, that's all I can say right now publicly.)

I frequently want to reference this broad category of "non-Web applications"
but I'm bothered by constantly invoking a *negation* of a concept rather
than having a good positive description for that class of applications. Some
options I considered:

"desktop application" covers the majority of our C++ and Visual Basic
developers. However, it's not obvious to me that Java developers will assume
they are included in that phrase and we have a bunch of those devs. Also,
our developers are typically creating complex client-server apps and they
might wrongly assume that desktop equals non-server, which would lead them
to the wrong conclusion.

"desktop and Java applications" is better in some ways, but our engineering
team isn't comfortable calling out Java explicitly like this even though it
is correct for the vast majority of our Java devs (i.e. Java apps made with
our product are not web applications) And of course, there are the same
issues with "desktop" mentioned previously.

"standalone applications" - this would work for other products, but our
product is inherently a complex client-server product. So, this would
definitely not make things clearer.

"standard applications" -- seems too vague. Theoretically, I could define it
as a special term in our documentation, glossary, etc.

"non-browser applications". Same problem with constantly referring things in
the negative.  HOWEVER, it might be better than non-Web applications" over
time if for no other reason than the Chicago style book doesn't make me
capitalize any part of that phrase. I hate to capitalize Web but that's the
Chicago rule. (Am I the only writer that feels silly capitalizing Web and
Internet but not intranet or phone network?) I'm leaning towards this phrase
right now.

Can anyone think of better choices??? Please feel free to suggest multiple
ideas to help brainstorm!

Thanks,
     -- JX


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

ROBOHELP FOR FRAMEMAKER TRIAL NOW AVAILABLE!

RoboHelp for FrameMaker is a NEW online publishing tool for FrameMaker that
lets you easily single-source content to online Help, intranet, and Web.  
The interface is designed for FrameMaker users, so there is little or no
learning curve and no macro language required! Call 800-718-4407 for 
competitive pricing or download a trial at: http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l4

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.