Currently, ajax websites put applications on the internet to do service oriented architecture of enterprise communication computer system. It is live and on demand in nature, each webpage perform some task for you; application is broken up into webpages. Examples are many including Google apps, windows live, office live and ajaxwindows.com.

The old way is more efficient, and was used exclusively on intranet with ethernet packets(Novell netware). You setup a Novell server with WordPerfect(as is), and clients can use their x: drive to access WordPerfect as if it is on their own computer. The material you wrote, can be stored on the server.

This can be also transferred to internet website, where it will appear as your hdd drive and process any software on the website, as is without alteration.

However, you have to decide whether to use virtual operating system on your own desktop to match the distro application on the website; or to support multiple copies of distro application for any operating system, client is using or use your computer as console(ctty with password)) for the server operating system?

It seems that Novell had the advantage to make very fast SOA application web servers, with their experience in Novell server software(netware).

We are stockholders of Novl. Opinions here may be biased.

Footnote:
Novell has to use packet converter to change the old ethernet packets to dotnet packets format or soap packets for Linux. Packet converter can allow intranet and internet to coexist in your own network.

More Footnote:
CnR warehouse with 37,000+ applications can be run in Novel netware for intranet; then with packet converter can run on websites.