Maybe. When the web is the platform, the advantages for the writers and maintainers of software are too sweet to give up. Companies get to control and charge for access to their service (not the software) which makes piracy less of an issue. They can charge less, but get paid on a regular schedule, which allows for maintenance and less pressure toward the addition of useless features or redesigns merely to justify charging for a new scheduled release. They get access to much more data on how users interact with their software for making improvements, not to mention the data they can sell. Companies can update their software and ensure all users are using the updated version without the lag time of waiting for individuals to initiate the update process. Distribution amounts to providing and promoting a web address to consumers - not always trivial, but often much less complex than a local install.

I will always prefer to run software locally for the possible privacy advantages, but it becomes much more difficult to do so when I wish to share or collaborate with others. Some tools like owncloud are making it easier, but I still have to possess the skills or know of a seasoned sysadmin to deploy and maintain an instance of it on a server. In the end, certain services are just better when they are web-based. I don't think I ever want to go back to manually syncing my bookmarks, calendars, and contacts across devices. That said, I hate that the easiest options are those that violate my privacy. As much as I hate it, I doubt that it will change.

It's nice to know your friend managed to squeeze some extra training and trips out of his former employer before retiring to the luxury of part-time contract employment. I'm sure he didn't have to suck major ass or otherwise demean himself while simultaneously performing the demeaning task of training his low-wage replacements in the process. Did they offer his coworkers the same deal, or did he just sell them out for a trip? What a cunt.