1. Regarding native complexity: surely, using CoreGraphics is just as easy as canvas?
2. That game looks like it's running at about 15fps. I'm not sure that constitutes very good proof of the argument. The best apps and games run at 60.
3. I'm not sure who's using web MVC frameworks en masse and to what end, but I would NOT want to write a data-driven web app like Discourse from scratch.
Agree, similar arguments came to my mind when I read the article. Two other relevant points:
4. Even if a game like the one in the article performs reasonably well using HTML5 Canvas + JavaScript, that still doesn't mean it's 'efficient'. A native application could be much smoother still, use less battery, etc.
5. The article is titled 'Web App speed', but it's only (somewhat) relevant in the context of sprite-based games. With WebGL it's possible to do quite complex 3D-based graphics in the browser as well, but anything non-game related is a whole different matter. Surely 'boring' apps with lots of buttons, scroll bars, other widgets etc. will not be easier and more efficient running inside a web browser, compared to using native controls.
2. That game looks like it's running at about 15fps. I'm not sure that constitutes very good proof of the argument. The best apps and games run at 60.
3. I'm not sure who's using web MVC frameworks en masse and to what end, but I would NOT want to write a data-driven web app like Discourse from scratch.