Network operating system

Name

Traditionally abroad similar services call Web Operating System or in abbreviated form Web OS. Sometimes this name is written together - WebOS, but it is not correct (the matter is that the name WebOS was born by the project of the University of Berkeley in California devoted to creation of the software in 1996 ^[1]). In this regard a certain number of users and developers calls this type of the Web Desktop operating systems (web desktops or online desktops), and such name settled in Russian (in particular, authors of blogs on Internet Features call these projects quite so ^[2]).

Principle of work

Basis of any network operating system - the systems of the distributed computing using capacities several tens or hundreds of servers which are at a great distance from each other or the "cloud" systems, i.e. to the software set on servers to which access through the web browser from any place where there is an Internet is provided to the user. In turn, services are created on the basis of two technologies - AJAX (asynchronous JavaScript and XML (eXtensible Markup Language) and Flash. Advantage of the first - relatively a wide use of the web browsers working with JavaScript that allows to develop difficult applications, on the functionality, ZohoWriter which are brought closer to those that exist on desktop computers (a bright example of that - the text editor, for example). Plus to everything the page containing a similar program code minimum loads the user's Internet channel, sending to the server servicing web service the minimum quantity of data in comparison with if the page was refreshed completely. Use of Flash means also economy of traffic due to loading of vector, but not bitmap graphics, but separation of the flow into components which can be reproduced in the browser "on the fly" (a common example - the videoplayers for a streaming video allowing to browse the video image without loading it up to the end). According to the statistics Adobe companies, the developer of Flash technology, in the world of 98% of the computers going on-line have the browsers compatible to Flash therefore their users do not need installation of additional software for work in network operating system. With AJAX the situation is more difficult - for correct work on the computer should be the JAVA language interpreter is installed (JAVA-MACHINE), and in the browser there has to be JavaScript. The majority of network operating systems is expected work in the Internet Explorer browsers and the Firefox families (on own observations, the most convenient for similar services is Flock). In Opera Browser a part of services works unstably that is connected with own interpreter of the JAVA language in the browser.

The beginning of work from network operating system consists in obligatory registration in service (as a rule, it free): the user specifies as the login the email address and the password which can be used both for login via the browser, and for loading of content on FTP (for example, in G.ho.st).

Functions of network operating systems

As it was already stated above, the network operating system consists of a set of web applications (web services) which are integrated within the single user interface reminding the classical desktop systems (in particular, Windows or MacOS). Most similar services provide to the user:

• file storage, with a capacity from 1 to 10 GB (on average);
• the built-in service of e-mail (integrates with the e-mail client located in the system);
• the login uniform (in most cases) before all main web services included in structure of network operating system (for example, storages of media files, the text editor, an organizer);
• the similar organization of the user interface on Windows (the Start-up button with the hierarchical menu, the Toolbar folder with applets, similar to Windows, for example, for installation of display resolution and the choice of a subject of a design of windows, or for input of information about the owner);
• Desktop with gadgets;
• double-sided synchronization of PIM (personal data) with a desktop or the mobile device (the last is available for read services) on FTP or via the software client (mainly for communicators and smartphones).

Usually is a part of network operating system text and tabular processors (is more rare - the editor of the presentations), means for viewing the PDF files, mediaplayers (it is normal for MP3 files and for viewing a streaming video from video hostings, direct reproduction of files in AVI, MPG and other formats, while not), means for viewing images (is more rare - the photo editor), the PIM manager (the address directory + the calendar, an e-mail client), the IM client (generally used for contact between the users registered in service, or for communication with developers), Flash-games.

Advantages and shortcomings

Main advantage of use of network operating systems consists in their cross-platform - they are started on any device having Internet connection and the compatible web browser (including, there are also web desktops for communicators and mobile phones). It means that it are provided to the user the same set of applications and services at any time and from any computer. Besides, as the network operating system works at capacities of remote servers so far as from the computer of the user any serious requirements for power and performance are not required (for this reason growth of popularity of the similar systems is connected with emergence in the market of netbooks and Internet tablets, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, with "thin clients").

From key shortcomings at network operating systems it is possible to select today still not up to the end settled mechanism of personal data protection (when using the user stores the files in remote file storage) and also relative instability of the software used in these systems (the majority of systems is in a beta testing status, and the web services entering their structure (for example, Zoho Writer) can periodically be unavailable because of scheduled maintenance).