I know there’s an iOS version of Scrivener in the works and though I’m very happy about that eventual possibility—I’ve just come to the conclusion that it might be more advantageous to shift new development toward a responsive web version.
Possible minimum features:
Scrivenings list
Edit Scrivining
Snapshots/History
Features to add incrementally:
Offline editing
Corkboard
Multiple Scrivenings
Edit Scrivening metadata
Stats
Outliner
Collections
Full Screen
Exporting for print
Exporting online
Pageview
Sharing
Realtime Collaboration
etc.
Pros:
Multi-os and device support: mac, ios, android, windows, linux, etc.
From-anywhere access for writing when inspiration strikes
Web well suited for text formats
We can always be using the latest version
Less platform syncing challenges
Single code base
Various commercial model options (version purchase, subscription, freemium)
Quicker path to online features like realtime collaboration
Easier to find devs for helping
Cons:
Would either require a centralized service or a versioned distributable to implement (think Wordpress)
Less access to device-specific capabilities (microphone, printing, etc.)
Responsive requires more holistic designing
Offline support not available in some browsers, esp. IE
Some kinds of polish not available in html5/css3/js
Browser differences are annoying to develop around
Umm… You’ve just described any number of online content management systems, including Wordpress.
I guess in some abstract sense the only difference between Scrivener and, say, MODX with four(?) page templates (edit, edit fullscreen, cork board, outline) and inline editing is that Scriv uses a file based data structure.
Apart from the billion other features. And being Cornish. Corny?
So, in short - no.
Although you could then integrate the forum into Scriv for when seven circles of writing hell are not enough.
I think this ground as been tread before, and rejected by Keith (the creator of Scrivener). It’s a nice pie-in-the-sky idea, but it’s far, FAR more expensive and difficult than I think you’re assuming. Either that, or you believe that a small shop like Lit & Lat, with its 4 total developers (2 devoted to Windows, one to Mac, one to iOS) could possibly make and maintain something the likes of which Microsoft and Google, with their billions in assets and hundreds of programmers + thousands of support staff have not attempted.