Online Desktop
Here's an idea for you guys. Currently the computer is run by software that is installed to personal and business computers. Programs like MS Word, explorer, Outlook, Calculators, etc are all installed onto the computer and often, new programs face compatability issues. I know someone that just created an online version of photoshop. It has all of the basic functions, but the software is online and people can access it from any computer. This is how a lot of websites' content managers work. You can update your site from any computer with internet because all of the necessary files and programs are right in front of you.
What I think that we need to do is develop software that is primarily online. They have done this with a lot of email clients and organizers. Email is accessed from all over the world using servers like Yahoo and Gmail. If we could develop software that was just the same (People could pay a montly service fee for the software or even annually), we would cut back on pirating costs and compatibility would be solved because all users would need is a compatible web browser.
Imagine being able to access Word anywhere you are, or even getting to your work from anywhere. Sure, you can do this now by emailing your work to yourself, but this takes it to the next level by allowing users to store ALL of their work online as opposed to being limited to word files or even worse, TXT files.
I mean, we couldn't pull it off just yet, we would need quite a bit of capital, but it is definitely something that can be done. With more and more of the world getting internet access (and many parts of the world with highspeed connections) this could be the next phase of desktop computing.
posted by Dollars and $ense at 1:51 PM |
1 comments
1 Comments:
Steven, I really like the idea...Right now there are products that simulate this sort of idea, such as PC Anywhere, which I believe Symantec developed (or bought off the original developer). This program basically makes the target computer a server which can be controlled via the net. This makes the usability go down a bit, and also makes the performance more than a bit sluggish. This is where your idea would outperform the current archetype; if we made it an OS-like feature to automatically sync every file on your comp with a server version of those files (sort of like making a hard-driveless computer), one could log onto the OS from any compatible computer and access their online hard drive.
There are a few problems with the idea, however. Firstly, bandwidth and the ridiculous amount of storage space necessary to facilitate this volume of usage, if it is indeed meant to remove the necessity of local hard drives, would be extremely expensive. We'd have to charge users by the month for the use of an OS...this already doesn't seem particularly appealing. Secondly, in terms of performance, bandwidth isn't anywhere near the speed of ones hard drive. Let's say you wanted to open said Word document; you'd essentially have to "sync" with the remote hard drive to get it onto the local machine (meaning download it) and then open it, which is much slower than simply opening such a file from the hard drive of that computer. Not to mention higher-end programs that require the use of huge files like movies or games. Bandwidth simply can't catch up, and probably won't be able to until fiberoptics are everywhere (if it even is able to get there, which I somewhat doubt).
Now, all of those problems essentially boil down to lagging technology, that MAY be solved with the advancement of technology and/or a huge capital investment. However, there is one other HUGE barrier to entry, and his name is Bill Gates (or Steve Ballmer if you're really astute). The preexisting Windows hegemony has made it difficult even for Apple to gain more than 25% market share (which is mostly due to auxillary products like the iPod and Final Cut). The expectation that a service such as the one we'd offer would be accepted over a Windows, Mac, or even Linux platform is tough to believe, especially if a monthly charge is built in.
I still think the idea is good, though we'd need to go a different direction with it. We could develop the software to do this within Windows OS, and develop it as an independent program that could be purchased, but then before releasing it (except for in BETA versions), we ought to sell it to Microsoft to be included as a component service of their next OS). This way we don't face the brutal world of Tech companies, and still get the big corporate buyout.
November 22, 2004 at 10:25 AM
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