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The eyeOS and Ulteo online desktops offer different approaches to a web-based desktop, but they are both worth a closer look if you are in the market for a computing environment in the cloud. BY DMITRI POPOV
oday, when a pervasive and reli- own eyeOS installation up and running, chive and move it to your server. Next, able Internet connection is no the easiest is to use the hosted version of point your browser to http://yourserver/ Klonger just a dream, the idea of the system [2] provided and maintained eyeOS/install.php and the installation using web-based applications makes a by the eyeOS project team. The advan- wizard guides you through the rest of lot of sense. Google Docs and the Zoho tages of this solution are obvious – you the process. Finally, you can also install office suite are prime examples of solu- don’t have to install anything, your sys- eyeOS on your own server, which not tions for users who prefer to move their tem is automatically upgraded to the lat- only gives you absolute control but also daily computing from the desktop to the est version, and you don’t have to worry allows you to integrate eyeOS with Ope- cloud. But instead of replacing individ- about maintenance. However, the hosted nOffice.org if you want to add the ability ual applications with their web-based version is designed mainly for demon- to open and save documents in the Ope- equivalents, you can opt for a service stration purposes and not for production nOffice.org or Microsoft Office formats. that offers you a full-blown desktop that use. Another solution is to create your Making eyeOS work with OpenOffice.org contains everything you need to work own eyeOS installation on a hosted web does require some manual tweaking, but on your files and documents and collab- space. This way, you retain full control the entire procedure is pretty straightfor- orate with other users. In this article, I over your system without running and ward and is described in the accompany- take a look at two such solutions: the maintaining the server yourself. Because ing README.txt file. eyeOS and Ulteo online desktops. eyeOS has its own virtual file system, EyeOS does a pretty good job of mim- it doesn’t require a database back end, icking a real desktop (Figure 1). A few \p\FJ which means that the only thing you default shortcuts on the desktop allow EyeOS [1] is not the only web-based op- need is a server with support for PHP5. you to launch frequently used applica- erating system out there, but it’s proba- EyeOS comes with its own installer, tions quickly. The dock at the top of the bly one of the most mature and feature- which makes the entire installation and desktop gives you access to the applica- rich options to offer a complete comput- configuration process a breeze. After you tions grouped by categories, whereas a ing environment accessible from your download the latest version of eyeOS, so-called Common actions floating bar browser. With several ways to get your you should unpack the downloaded ar- lets you upload files, send messages, and
86 ISSUE 93 AUGUST 2008 Workspace: eyeOS and Ulteo C@ELOLJ =`^li\(1K_\\p\FJ[\jbkfg#XZfdgc\k\Zfdglk`e^\em`ifed\ek =`^li\)1\p\FJjgfikjX]\nj`dgc\n`[^\kjk_XkpflZXegcXZ\fe XZZ\jj`Yc\]ifdpfliYifnj\i% k_\[\jbkfg% create new documents with a single though these applications are not on par launch the application manager. After click. EyeOS fully supports drag and with web-based office suites like Google selecting the application you want to in- drop, so you can rearrange icons on the Docs or Zoho, they are adequate for stall, press the Install button. Although desktop and move windows around; you viewing documents and basic editing. the list of available applications is a bit can even move files from one location to The Calendar application allows you on the short side, it does include a cou- another by dragging and dropping them. to manage multiple calendars and view ple of interesting tools such as eyeTerre \p\FJXe[Lck\f[\jbkfgj As with a conventional operating sys- them by day or by week. As with Google (Figure 4), a map viewer that can pull tem, you can use the right mouse button Calendar, you can create a new event by data from Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, in eyeOS to access contextual menus. clicking on the desired day and dragging NASA Terra, and other sources. Right-click, for example, on the desktop, the mouse. As the name suggests, the When it comes to moving files and and you can use the menu to upload Contacts application lets you keep tabs documents to and from eyeOS, you have @EK?<:CFL; files, create a folder or a file, access the on your contacts, whereas the RSS two choices: with the eyeOS file man- Preferences panel, and create desktop reader provides a simple tool for manag- ager, you can upload a single or multiple shortcuts. EyeOS includes a few widgets ing RSS feeds. The default software bun- files by navigating to the folder in eyeOS that you can put on your desktop (Figure dle also has a few utilities, such as a text where you want to upload files, right- 2). For example, the miniCalendar wid- editor, FTP client, email application, and clicking somewhere in it, and selecting get provides a quick overview of events calculator, and easily can be extended by Upload, or to add and upload files, you in your calendar, and miniMessages installing additional applications. can use the Upload tool. shows a list of internal messages. To Like a real operating system, eyeOS Downloading files from eyeOS to your place a widget on the desktop, choose it sports its own package manager, which local machine is equally easy. Right-click from the Accessories menu in the Dock. allows you to browse and install applica- on the file you want to download and An operating system is not of much tions available in the eyeOS software re- select Download or Download as zip. A use if it doesn’t include key productivity pository (Figure 3). To access the pack- more efficient way is to use the dedi- applications, and eyeOS offers a well- age manager, you must log in as admin- cated eyeSync tool. This simple cross- rounded software bundle. The system istrator, using the “root” username as platform synchronization utility can comes with an office suite consisting of the root password you specified during monitor a specific directory on your ma- a word processor (eyeDocs), a spread- installation. Then click on the taskbar chine and upload all the files and docu- sheet application (eyeSheets), and a pre- and choose Applications. In the Applica- ments in it as you add or modify them. sentation viewer (eyePresentations). Al- tions window, press Install Apps to This turns eyeOS into a rather effective =`^li\*1\p\FJZfd\jn`k_`kjfnegXZbX^\dXeX^\ik_XkpflZXe =`^li\+1Lj\k_\\p\K\ii\Xggc`ZXk`fekfm`\ndXgj% AUGUST 2008 ISSUE 93 87 C@ELOLJ document backup solution. On Win- Next, press the Start dows, eyeSync is available as a portable Ulteo Now button on application that requires no installation, the main page. This so you can put it onto a USB stick and downloads a Java ap- sync your documents from any machine. plet required for estab- Also, you can access your documents lishing a connection with a mobile device, courtesy of the to the remote desktop. eyeOS mobile interface. In your mobile To start the desktop, browser, append /mobile to the URL of press the Launch ses- your eyeOS installation to open the sion button. mobile interface, which you can use to The Ulteo OD is browse and create directories as well a full-fledged KDE- as upload and download files. based Linux system, EyeOS also comes with a few features minus configuration that allow all registered users to collabo- and management =`^li\-1KiXej]\ii`e^]`c\jkfXe[]ifdk_\Lck\f[\jbkfg% rate and communicate with each other. tools. This means, for The eyeMessages email-like application example, that you can’t use the com- ent an email containing a link to your lets users exchange internal messages, mand line or install additional applica- current Ulteo session. You can choose to whereas the Public board can be used to tions. However, this is not a big problem send either a view-only invitation or give post public messages. EyeOS supports because the Ulteo OD comes with a wide the recipient control over your desktop. groups, and it comes with a Public group range of applications, including the Fire- In addition to the Ulteo OD, the com- available for all registered eyeOS users. fox browser, Thunderbird email client, pany has two other products that can The group has its own folder and any- OpenOffice.org productivity suite, and help you to get the most out of your thing you place in it will become avail- GIMP image manipulation application. Ulteo OD. The Ulteo Application System able to all users. Also, you can set up Plus, it has tools that can help you man- (Ulteo AS) is an operating system that other groups (if you are logged in as ad- age your photos (digiKam), view PDF you can install on your local machine. ministrator) and add only selected users documents (KPDF), and chat online Although Ulteo AS might not rival other to it. This allows you to set up a group (Konversation and Kopete). Linux distributions such as Ubuntu or for a particular project and limit access To make it easier to launch applica- Mandriva, it integrates with the Ulteo to it by adding only those users who are tions, the Ulteo OD comes with a OD, providing a natural offline extension involved in the project, for example. launcher that organizes all the programs of the web-based computing environ- by categories. The launcher also features ment. The key element of this integra- Lck\f;\jbkfg a search field to help quickly locate and tion is the automatic synchronization The Ulteo online desktop [3] (Ulteo OD), launch the desired application. feature that syncs files and documents designed by the company started by Gaël The Ulteo OD uses a simple Java- in a local directory with the Ulteo OD. Duval of Mandrake/ Mandriva fame, of- based applet for transferring files and For Windows users, Ulteo also provides fers a different approach – a full-blown documents (Figure 6). To download a a simple synchronization tool that can Linux desktop that users access as a re- document from Ulteo to your machine, sync documents and files between a mote desktop via the VNC protocol (Fig- right-click on the file and select Down- Windows machine and the Ulteo OD ure 5). The Ulteo OD requires Java Run- load. The Upload section of the applet and Ulteo AS. p time Environment 1.4 or later (including allows you to select multiple files on JRE browser plugin) and a browser with your desktop and upload them to Ulteo INFO JavaScript enabled. Also, you must cre- in one go. [1] eyeOS: http:// www. eyeos. org ate an account with Ulteo. Although the Ulteo OD doesn’t include [2] Hosted version of eyeOS: any specific document- http:// www. eyeos. info sharing capabilities, you [3] Ulteo: http:// www. ulteo. com can use its KDE tools to access remote servers and shared folders. In the task Dmitri Popov holds bar, click on System Menu a degree in Rus- and choose Remote Places; sian language and computer linguis- now you can use the avail- tics. He has been able wizards to connect to writing exclusively remote servers and shares. about Linux and Besides that, you can open source soft- easily share your Ulteo OD ware for several years, and his arti- with others using the Share AUTHOR THE cles have appeared in Danish, Brit- desktop feature, which al- ish, North American, German, and =`^li\,1Lck\ffec`e\[\jbkfg% lows you to send a recipi- Russian magazines and websites. 88 ISSUE 93 AUGUST 2008