Tim Berner's Lee started a discussion on the Public Web Apps mailing that generated much response, regarding "installing" web apps, but more so the need for browsers to facilitate more powerful web apps.
This got me thinking, now that Node is running cross-platform, would it be possible to embed the Node environment in a Chrome and Firefox extension and export this to Javascript in web apps running in those browsers? Also with some kind of auto-update so the extension tracks the latest stable branch? A sort of "node-frame" so to speak? Then instead of having to wait for browsers to come to consensus on manifest mechanisms, app stores, permissions etc. which will arguably take another few years, those that need those kinds of privileges could get their users to install node-frame instead. A massive advantage, apart from first class network and posix privileges would be Node in the browser.
