HTML/CSS/JS in desktop applications

Question

I've read about XSS vulnerability in desktop applications like Skype and ICQ. I wonder why they choose to use html in this kind of applications that can also be written without any html. Is there a simple reason? Does someone know if Skype uses html on pages like "Skype Home" only or is the whole GUI written in html?

I'm asking because I'm writing a web application that runs within the browser and will be ported to mobile and desktop platforms once finished. You can compare it to instant messengers but it's something different in fact.

I thought about using PhoneGap to simply "copy" the project to mobile platforms and using system functions via the PhoneGap API. But I think it may be slow and/or not good-looking. Also it wouldn't look native, the question then is whether too use our own html GUI on all platforms (so it looks the same everywhere) or to adapt the design concepts of each platform (using native controls in native languages or e.g. Titanium (which is unfortunately too expensive)).

But I never thought about using HTML in desktop applications. How do you embed that anyway? I'm using C#. Using WebBrowser form element or using some kind of web browser rendering engine?

Answer 1

To answer the initial question (in your 1st paragraph):

I assume they chose to wrote it using HTML as a way to make it cross-platform more easily.