What is Digg?45 Comments
- puredeviation, on 10/11/2007, -3/+33What's the point in all of these WebOS's? You're already on using an OS, why would you want to run one on your browser simulating what you can already do on the Os you're on?
- parax, on 10/11/2007, -1/+17There really is no point. They're just web pages with widgets. They don't offer anything useful that would make me want to visit one every time I opened my browser.
- msaleem, on 10/11/2007, -3/+12Was already covered in round 1:
http://digg.com/software/10_Web_Operating_Systems_Reviewed_Maybe_You_Try_One
Direct link:
http://franticindustries.com/blog/2006/12/21/big-webos-roundup-10-online-operating-systems-reviewed/ - freekycanuck, on 10/11/2007, -1/+10WINOS. (A) WebOS Is Not (an) Operating System
- adamgamble, on 10/11/2007, -0/+9I guess I just don't really see the point of a web OS. They'll never be able to replace a real OS that does low level stuff. I'd rather then create a better explorer (I realize there are shell replacements available). I dunno maybe I haven't played with them enough, but they seem kinda pointless.
- inactive, on 10/11/2007, -1/+9@psykiv
Step 2.5 - Set up Hamachi or OpenVPN. Otherwise, be prepared to be owned. - Eric4, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8What if you're on a computer with limited rights? What if you want to login and manage and edit your documents from the library or work? What if you want your desktop experience to remain consistent no matter where you are?
- cotaskmemalloc, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7I'll never understand these waste of time projects. Looks like they were put together by a bunch of people who couldn't hack it as systems programmers and instead jumped on the Web 2.0 bandwagon. Good job, you just reinvented the web browser! In a completely useless fashion!
- grungegbunny, on 10/11/2007, -2/+8can you use torrent within these virtual OS?
- rarson, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6Do they use drivers? Do they actually interface with my hardware? Can I take a blank hard drive and do a fresh install of a web OS on it?
I really don't understand why everyone is calling these things "OS's." If anything, they are simply a collection of programs that are accessible from the internet. A real OS is not a suite of software, the extras are simply "features" used to entice people into using the OS. A real OS's main function is to interface between the software and hardware. - adolfojp, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6Operating system.
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Somebody wake me up when I can run something like Photoshop, Visual Studio or America's Army from one of these "Operating Systems". Until then I wil consider them nothing more than a novelty item. - Matt2k, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4That's exactly it. It is relatively pointless to have a so-called "Web based OS". The term itself is even confusing. Do you mean an operating system you download over HTTP. Do you mean a self-contained virtual machine that runs in the context of your web browser? Or do you mean a remote desktop solution that you access from your browser from anywhere.
Calling them an operating system is a little unfair. And the reviewer claiming that "Some promise to be real competition to desktop OS's" is patently absurd. The reviewer is either being untruthful for the sake of producing flashy writing, or really has no idea what a real operating actually *does*
1. The browser based virtual machines are extremely limited. They're slow. No one supports them. It's javascript. Or flash. The APIs are limited. The problem has been solved by better and smarter people a long time ago with managed environments like Java sandboxes, .NET, virtualization machines, and so forth.
2. Remote desktop or thin terminal solutions are fine. I love 'em. Like the "Desktop on Demand" product reviewed. But these issues were tackled decades ago. Spend a few minutes setting up VNC or Remote Desktop for your workstation and access your familiar environment from anywhere. Of if you're uncomfortable fiddling with firewalls, sign up for one of those inexpensive "Access my PC" programs. My pricey laptop has grudingly become little more than a RDP client to my main workstation because it's too much of a pain to change your working environment. Use SSH if you like a command line.
The pages reviewed above serve no purpose other than a challenge for their authors, which is a valid enough point it it's own right, but not reason enough for anyone else to actually use them. - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4can someone explain this to me: if i wanted to put an OS on my server, is it the OS just for working with applications or are they designed for directly interacting with the server?? cause i can see a real market for something that can do terminals and file managers which interacts with the internals of a server - allowing you to set all of your configs and manage files without FTP and a putty interface, instead a nice web gui one. am i missing the point of these, or is that what these are designed for?
- championchap, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5@puredeviation (#7230789)
As far as i can see, it's simply a way of keeping your experience consistent no matter where you are.
You could store all your files on the server and have access to them from anywhere with an Internet connection, edit them in the browser and save them through the browser.
Then it wouldn't matter if you went somewhere that, for example.. didn't have Excel.. but you happened to really need to edit a spreadsheet.
It's a pretty cool idea to be fair, but one that i fear is a little ahead of it's time.
You could consider them pioneers. - Erectile, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Can someone please give me a rundown of practical things a WebOS could be used for? On the face of it I think it's a great idea, but I just feel I may have missed the point.
- mrmacky, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3I don't really like the whole idea of a web OS. But I did use one to bypass the web filter at my school... I guess that counts for something. And I like the idea of having "my" computer with me wherever I go, but they're way to slow for a decent use
- catfish182, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3I think the idea is no matter where you go you have a desktop which is yours.
Personally i use bart pe with xpe installed (all on a 4 gb flash drive) and it has all my vpn info and everthing.
It is sometimes not the quickest with USB 1 but its fine.
(o and if you are asking how do i boot to USB on USB 1 machines my friend made a cd boot disk that does it. Still trying to figure out how though) - derjames, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3I still don't see the point in having a webOS... I would rather install DSL or puppy linux in VMware...
- modifiedbears, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Title is misleading. I thought it was going to be a bootable operating system that only lets you surf the web.
- Scriptor, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Window Manager + Widget Launcher != Operating System
- inactive, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2There are already apps for that. And calling them web based OS's is stupid. They aren't the operating system for ANYTHING! They are web apps, made to look like a desktop. There ya go, let's call them Webtops!! I think I just coined a phrase, now you all go on out there and make me famous! lol
- tempusrob, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Seriously ... I wish the term "Web OS" would go away. I think "Web Desktop" would not only be more accurate, but it might reduce the geek factor a bit and get Joe Sixpack to look at it.
- Matt2k, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2I don't think Joe Sixpack gives a flying ***** about a webOS. I think it appeals more to Johnny Headshot
- psykiv, on 10/11/2007, -4/+6Assuming youre running windows:
Step 1: Get a static IP address or a DDNS service
Step 2: Enable Remote Desktop
Step 3: Open port 3389 in your router.
Step 4: Go to any windows-based computer in the world, open up remote desktop connection, type in your ip, and hit connect.
Fine...
Step 5: ???
Step 6: Profit
Thats what I do when Im at school. - tazB, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Does anyone have any OiNK invites they can spare? I've been on the hunt for sooooo long... please help a brother out here! I can even trade you a Moola.com or a TorrentLeech.com account in return :)
Haqq@Inbox.Com - DCTsunami, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2So you have to load all the apps from the web every time you want to use them, and they can change at any time when they're updated. Also, if your data are stored on the server, the server admins can read them at any time, which makes it useless for anything corporate.
I think a better solution would be to get a laptop and redirect development time into synchronization technology. I'd much rather have a program that can sync my files, mail, calendar, address book, etc., than a dumb web OS. - misterjangles, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2I can see a future for these types of things when/if the Internet bandwidth is ever so plentiful that speed isn't an issue. It could possibly be useful now on local networks. You could have a super thin client with a bare-bones OS that launches a full-screen browser into one of these "web OS" environments.
They might also be really good for Kiosk type situations. They give you a simple framework for creating windows and widgets. - OneAndOnlySnob, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3Operating systems do things like schedule CPU time and mediate access to hardware. These are web applications, not web OSes. I'm really sick and tired of seeing the term Web OS thrown around, because their is no such thing, nor could there ever be.
- xspinkickx, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2this is pretty cool though I can ssh tunnel into my linux box and do anything I need to from there...
- evilgold, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2So how exactly does one boot a "webOS"? Its a nice idea and all, but i dont see the point if you already need somthing like firefox running to use it.
- simd, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Google have the right idea. They're building applications that can be accessed from anywhere and on pretty much any operating system - so you can choose anything from full blown Windows, OSX or Linux through to a dumb web terminal that can only run a web browser. With Gears thrown in, offline operation problems will soon be solved - something none of these applications seem to be able to fix (yet).
- KungFuJesus, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2With the current web technologies, WebOSs will never work. First of all, we need a way to get web apps out of the browser, and 2nd of all, we need to kill HTML/JS/all that *****.
- FuzzyCat, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1The 'Desktop On Demand' one works much better than vnc (for linux users, not tried it for windows) because it's using nxclient. nxclient/server is like terminal server/metaframe for windows - it gives you a real desktop on a server with all the apps you could use on a standard linux distro - in other words it connects to a remote X server. It also has the added bonus of being able to use ssh to tunnel everything, making it secure from snooping....
- Gunslinger99, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I don't think a WebOS would ever replace a real OS. Could you imagine needing to finish that Powerpoint for work only to have your cable go out and not be able to use your OS? You will always need something on your computer. Would would be great is if the next major OS release, either the next version of Windows, or the next big cat after Leopard to come from Apple, would integrate their full OS with a WebOS.
For example, you have your version of Windows at home, and Microsoft offers a virtual OS online in which you can set up your own personal desktop and information. You can sign on from the library, or work, or even a friend or relatives house when on vacation. So you always have your same OS everywhere you go. Also Office could have an online option similar to Google Docs but it integrates with your registered version of Office, and as you save files to your PC while working on your files they can be simultaneously save to the web. So you can use your virtual WebOS to open the web version of Office from anywhere and have all your same docs.
The seamless integration of WebOS and home OS, be it Windows of OSX would be where these should go, not a web based Linux or other open source OS. - eihwaz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I'm trying DoD and it looks pretty awesome. I mean, it feels like using Linux but without actually having to install it. The only thing i miss is the shell... i see there are all the usual /bin folders full of commands, but i can't find a shell to run them (maybe they're afraid of too much "hacking" on this remote machines?)
- Error601, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Desktops != Operating systems. The OS is what that desktop is using to run.
- popothebright, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Where's DesktopTwo?
IMHO they're in the top 5... - bbp9857, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2there actually can be true web os's. it's called distributed computing, distributed storage, etc. there's varying levels of OS abstraction and functionality.
- alpine75, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I just tried Ghost. Seems like it'd be useful for when those who are away from their regular computer and have a need for something like this. I can't imagine how much more useful it would be in any other context.
- zobcat, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3WebOS's are nice, but with logmein.com or UltraVNC can connect up to your PC at home. But, you will need a flash drive to have the necessary apps/plugins if you're at a place like the library or school that won't let you install those apps/plugins.
- jiub, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1It never really will replace a traditional OS at home. It definitely isn't something that's meant for you to pull up at home as first thing when you turn on your computer. It's main attraction will be for going to school, library, work; anywhere that the computer is not actually yours. With this you will have your desktop, apps, files and everything else within reach of a login.
The one thing all these will need is a google desktop-ish program that can scan your home PC and grab all the files on it and make them available to you at any time from anywhere. - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1What's the point of running a Web OS when you're already ON an OS?
BTW, the name "Web OS" is misleading. It's just a bunch of plain old hyperlinks disguised as fancy AJAX icons. These "OSes", when you get right down to it, isn't even close to being Web 2.0, it's just a bunch of stupid links!
I'll stop now... - popothebright, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2THESE ARE NOT OPERATING SYSTEMS.
These are graphical launchers, and shells for standard web functions like email, file storage, IM, Music Players, etc.
The term Operating System is used for one reason (and one reason only): It gets venture capital finance people all wet and excited and they throw money at these slick little websites thinking that one of them could be the next Microsoft (or at least be acquired by them).
It won't happen.
For starters, Google already has one, and its better. Much better. It might not have the eye candy, but it is a true platform with an open API and a dedicated devloper/userbase.
Secondly, these are applications we already have. Why on earth does DesktopToGo have a "web browser" inside it? Can anyone think of anything dumber? At least DesktopTwo (which wasn't mentioned in the article for some bizarre reason) has an email program which is slicker than most email programs on the web -- and easily up there with Yahoo's new beta. But the point is, there is little that these so-called "Operating Systems" offer which isn't already accessible through better implemented and more stable "stand-alone" web applications. Again, DesktopTwo uses a java version of OpenOffice, which makes a bit more sense. But why would anyone use AjaxWrite, when one could just download OpenOffice which is VASTLY more full-featured? Why would anyone use DesktopToGo's Gmail proxy, when one could just as easily log into Gmail? And why would anyone store files here when one can use any of the better (bigger) online storage options? (Or hell, just get the GSpace extension for Firefox, which has a vastly better interface than just about everything else?)
Ultimately these so-called "OS's" are very pretty, fullscreen widget LAUNCHERS which do their best to "look" like desktops. And the widgets offered are familiar web-applications which have been around for years (and are mature, stable and fuller featured than those within these "OS's". But why do we need a web desktop anyway? Afterall, what IS a desktop anyway? It's a launcher with a bunch of icons on it. The underlying operating system that you're *really* looking at though is a flash plugin and Firefox, IE, Safari or whatever browser you're using to view your desktop. The supposed advantage here is "integration". As in, someone sends you a document, and you open it within this environment, edit it, and save it to your web-OS "drive". But why is that necessary? Why would I want to edit it in my slow, crippled web-Wordprocessor when I could download it and edit it in my 'real' (and also "free") word processor?
All of these Web-OS's don't really do what all products "must" do: answer a fundamental need. - noof, on 10/11/2007, -7/+4Nice, but where's eyeos?
- LordofShadows, on 10/11/2007, -5/+1void bruteforce(char *brute, int pos)
{
char set[60] = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789!"$%&/()=?-.:\*'-_:.;,";
int i;
for(i = 0; pos; i++)
{
brute[i] = set[pos % 60];
pos /= 60;
}
}
Digg is coming to a city (and computer) near you! Check out all the details on our 
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is