Can a browser based application write to files on a local hard disk?

[Ben Scott]

On Jan 28, 2008 10:57 AM, Alex Hewitt <hewitt_tech at comcast.net> wrote:
> I don't want to be responsible for the user's data ...

  The problem with that approach is, in most cases, you *are* going to
be held responsible for the user's data.  Even if you store it in
cookies and/or make the user click "Save" to a file and/or disclaim
responsability in bold red 72-point BLINK tag text, if the user's data
isn't there when they come back, they're going to blame you.  Unless
you're in one of those very rare situations where you can afford to
discard the complaints of users, it's going to be your problem.

  So if this is for a paying customer, and/or some group of people you
want to keep happy, I'm with H. K. Bemis: Bite the bullet and take
responsibility for the data.  Store it server side and back it up.

  If you can afford to say you don't care, store it in a cookie and
just say "Too bad, so sad" when it goes *poof* for the user.

  The one other exception to the above would be if you're writing a
locally-hosted application that just happens to use a web browser as
the execution platform and/or UI.  In that case, use whatever works.

-- Ben