Web based applications are software programs that run on the web server and can be used from any internet connection. Web applications are becoming increasingly popular as they are a great way to share information with other people. One very popular example of a web application would be eBay. Not all web apps have to be large complex pieces of software. Here are some other examples:

• Discussion Forum
• Guest Book
• Content Management System (CMS)
• Web Portal
• Web Calendar
• Online Survey
• Poll
• Image Gallery
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Online Catalogue / Shopping Cart
• Reservation
• Document Management
• Maps
• Course Management / Teaching
• News Releases / Newsletters
• RSS Newsfeeds
• Tenders Management
• Blogs
• Streaming Video Gallery
• GIS
• Weather
• Real Estate Listings
• Technical Support / Trouble Tickets
• Classified Ads
• Recipes
• Auctions
• E Cards
• Quizzes
• Chat

The list goes on and on. In many cases these web apps are published under a General Public License (GPL) which means that you can use them without paying any licensing fees. Setup fees may apply, but generally that is a one time fee.