Web desktop
Encyclopedia
A web desktop or webtop is a desktop environment
embedded in a web browser
or similar client application
. A webtop integrates web application
s, web service
s, client–server applications, application server
s, and applications on the local client into a desktop environment using the desktop metaphor
. Web desktops provide an environment similar to that of Windows
, Mac
, or a graphical user interface
on Unix and Linux systems. It is a virtual desktop running in a web browser. In a webtop the applications, data, files, configuration, settings, and access privileges reside remotely over the network. Much of the computing takes place remotely. The browser is primarily used for display and input purposes.
The terms "web desktop" and "webtop" are distinct from web operating system
, a network operating system
such as TinyOS
or distributed
operating system such as Inferno
. In popular use, web desktops are sometimes referred to incorrectly as web operating systems or simply WebOS.
operating system. This application was based on the provisional application entitled "The Adaptive Internet Protocol System" filed Nov. 13, 1997, serial number 60/065,521 and is the U.S. patent for the technology used in the Tarantella Webtop. Andy Bovingdon and Ronald Joe Record, who both explored the concepts in different directions, are often credited as the inventors. The initial SCO Webtop, developed by Record, utilized a Netscape Navigator plugin to display applications in a browser window via TightVNC
. A trademark application for "SCO Webtop" was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on November 8, 1996. In order to avoid confusion with the more complex technology incorporated into the Tarantella Webtop it was abandoned on December 24, 1997 by The Santa Cruz Operation.
Bovingdon's three tiered architecture (TTA) concept was launched as the Tarantella
Webtop. This technology originated from early commercial use of web server technology by SCO. the first OS vendor to include a commercial web server, NCSA HTTPd
, and commercial web browser, NCSA Mosaic
. Their X.desktop
product line, obtained when they acquired IXI Limited
in the UK, was the first to have icons for URLs and an HTML-based help system. Tarantella
allowed real UNIX and Windows
applications to be displayed within a web browser through the use of Java to form a true web based desktop or Webtop.
The first SCO Webtop releases were part of SCO Skunkware
before being integrated into SCO OpenServer
version 5 and UnixWare 7. Tarantella was subsequently purchased by Sun Microsystems
and integrated into their Sun Secure Global Desktop
.
Byte magazine referred to the Webtop as a NUI (Network User Interface).
Mobility: Access your desktop anywhere there is a supported client device
Session management: Server-side session management allows roaming users to access restored sessions from anywhere
Software management:
Security:
High availability:
256-bit encryption and access control list
s, this can be easily safe-guarded.
Speed: When using a web desktop the whole code used for visualization (.js/.css files, Flash player files, etc.) needs to be transferred to the local computer, so that it can be displayed. Further, network latency or congestion can intermittently slow webtop activity. Offline application storage can mitigate this issue.
Application features: Some webtop delivered applications may not contain the full feature set of their traditional desktop counterparts
Network Access: Web desktops require access to a network. If the client device is misconfigured or the network is unreachable then the web desktop is unavailable.
Controlled access: In some webtop implementations and deployments a user's access to some applications and data can be restricted. This is also considered an advantage of webtops but can be viewed as a drawback from the user's perspective.
Central control: The normal webtop user is not able to install additional applications or update existing applications. Updates typically must be performed by an administrator on the server side. Webtop users are dependent upon the webtop administrator whereas in the traditional desktop environment the user can fix and/or break the system by installing new software or updates. This can also be seen as an advantage for webtops.
Desktop environment
In graphical computing, a desktop environment commonly refers to a style of graphical user interface derived from the desktop metaphor that is seen on most modern personal computers. These GUIs help the user in easily accessing, configuring, and modifying many important and frequently accessed...
embedded in a web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
or similar client application
Client (computing)
A client is an application or system that accesses a service made available by a server. The server is often on another computer system, in which case the client accesses the service by way of a network....
. A webtop integrates web application
Web application
A web application is an application that is accessed over a network such as the Internet or an intranet. The term may also mean a computer software application that is coded in a browser-supported language and reliant on a common web browser to render the application executable.Web applications are...
s, web service
Web service
A Web service is a method of communication between two electronic devices over the web.The W3C defines a "Web service" as "a software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network". It has an interface described in a machine-processable format...
s, client–server applications, application server
Application server
An application server is a software framework that provides an environment in which applications can run, no matter what the applications are or what they do...
s, and applications on the local client into a desktop environment using the desktop metaphor
Desktop metaphor
The desktop metaphor is an interface metaphor which is a set of unifying concepts used by graphical user interfaces to help users more easily interact with the computer. The desktop metaphor treats the monitor of a computer as if it is the user's desktop, upon which objects such as documents and...
. Web desktops provide an environment similar to that of Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Mac
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
, or a graphical user interface
Graphical user interface
In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...
on Unix and Linux systems. It is a virtual desktop running in a web browser. In a webtop the applications, data, files, configuration, settings, and access privileges reside remotely over the network. Much of the computing takes place remotely. The browser is primarily used for display and input purposes.
The terms "web desktop" and "webtop" are distinct from web operating system
Web operating system
In metacomputing, WebOS and Web operating system are terms that describe network services for Internet scale distributed computing, as in the WebOS Project at UC Berkeley, and the WOS Project...
, a network operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
such as TinyOS
TinyOS
TinyOS is a free and open source component-based operating system and platform targeting wireless sensor networks . TinyOS is an embedded operating system written in the nesC programming language as a set of cooperating tasks and processes. It is intended to be incorporated into smartdust...
or distributed
Distributed computing
Distributed computing is a field of computer science that studies distributed systems. A distributed system consists of multiple autonomous computers that communicate through a computer network. The computers interact with each other in order to achieve a common goal...
operating system such as Inferno
Inferno (operating system)
Inferno is a distributed operating system started at Bell Labs, but is now developed and maintained by Vita Nuova Holdings as free software. Inferno was based on the experience gained with Plan 9 from Bell Labs, and the further research of Bell Labs into operating systems, languages, on-the-fly...
. In popular use, web desktops are sometimes referred to incorrectly as web operating systems or simply WebOS.
History
In the context of a web desktop, the term Webtop was first introduced by the Santa Cruz Operation (SCO) in 1994 for a web-based interface to their UnixUnix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
operating system. This application was based on the provisional application entitled "The Adaptive Internet Protocol System" filed Nov. 13, 1997, serial number 60/065,521 and is the U.S. patent for the technology used in the Tarantella Webtop. Andy Bovingdon and Ronald Joe Record, who both explored the concepts in different directions, are often credited as the inventors. The initial SCO Webtop, developed by Record, utilized a Netscape Navigator plugin to display applications in a browser window via TightVNC
TightVNC
TightVNC is a cross-platform open source remote desktop software application that uses and extends VNC's RFB protocol to control another computer's screen remotely. It was created by Constantin Kaplinsky...
. A trademark application for "SCO Webtop" was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on November 8, 1996. In order to avoid confusion with the more complex technology incorporated into the Tarantella Webtop it was abandoned on December 24, 1997 by The Santa Cruz Operation.
Bovingdon's three tiered architecture (TTA) concept was launched as the Tarantella
Tarantella, Inc.
Santa Cruz Operation was a software company based in Santa Cruz, California which was best known for selling three Unix variants for Intel x86 processors: Xenix, SCO UNIX , and UnixWare. Eric Raymond, in his book The Art of Unix Programming, calls SCO the "first Unix company"...
Webtop. This technology originated from early commercial use of web server technology by SCO. the first OS vendor to include a commercial web server, NCSA HTTPd
NCSA HTTPd
NCSA HTTPd was a web server originally developed at the NCSA by Robert McCool and others. It was among the earliest web servers developed, following Tim Berners-Lee's CERN httpd, Tony Sanders' Plexus server, and some others. It was for some time the natural counterpart to the Mosaic web browser in...
, and commercial web browser, NCSA Mosaic
Mosaic (web browser)
Mosaic is the web browser credited with popularizing the World Wide Web. It was also a client for earlier protocols such as FTP, NNTP, and gopher. Its clean, easily understood user interface, reliability, Windows port and simple installation all contributed to making it the application that opened...
. Their X.desktop
X.desktop
X.desktop was an early desktop environment graphical user interface built on the X Window System. It was developed and sold during the late 1980s and early 1990s by IXI Limited, a British software house based in Cambridge...
product line, obtained when they acquired IXI Limited
IXI Limited
IXI Limited was a Cambridge, UK-based software company founded in 1988. The company was the leading supplier of windowing software for Unix, supporting all the popular UNIX platforms of the time....
in the UK, was the first to have icons for URLs and an HTML-based help system. Tarantella
Tarantella, Inc.
Santa Cruz Operation was a software company based in Santa Cruz, California which was best known for selling three Unix variants for Intel x86 processors: Xenix, SCO UNIX , and UnixWare. Eric Raymond, in his book The Art of Unix Programming, calls SCO the "first Unix company"...
allowed real UNIX and Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
applications to be displayed within a web browser through the use of Java to form a true web based desktop or Webtop.
The first SCO Webtop releases were part of SCO Skunkware
SCO Skunkware
SCO Skunkware, often referred to as simply "Skunkware", is a collection of Open Source software projects ported, compiled, and packaged for free redistribution on SCO operating environments. SCO Skunkware packaged components exist for SCO Xenix, SCO UNIX, SCO OpenServer 5, SCO OpenServer 6,...
before being integrated into SCO OpenServer
SCO OpenServer
SCO OpenServer, previously SCO UNIX and SCO Open Desktop , is, misleadingly, a closed source version of the Unix computer operating system developed by Santa Cruz Operation and now maintained by the SCO Group....
version 5 and UnixWare 7. Tarantella was subsequently purchased by Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
and integrated into their Sun Secure Global Desktop
Sun Secure Global Desktop
Oracle Secure Global Desktop software provides secure access to both published applications and published desktops running on Microsoft Windows, Unix, mainframe and System i systems via a variety of clients ranging from fat PCs to thin clients such as Sun Rays.-History:In 1993 the Santa Cruz...
.
Byte magazine referred to the Webtop as a NUI (Network User Interface).
Advantages
Convenience: A personalized desktop on every supported client deviceMobility: Access your desktop anywhere there is a supported client device
Session management: Server-side session management allows roaming users to access restored sessions from anywhere
Software management:
- Ensures all users are running the same current versions of all applications
- Updates and patches need only be applied to the server - no need to update multiple clients
- No need for software to distribute software over the network
Security:
- Less prone to typical attacks, viruses, worms, unpatched clients, vulnerabilities
- Sensitive data stored on secure servers rather than scattered across multiple potentially unprotected and vulnerable clients (e.g. smart phones and laptops)
- Encrypted transmission of all data between server and clients (e.g. httpsHttpsHypertext Transfer Protocol Secure is a combination of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol with SSL/TLS protocol to provide encrypted communication and secure identification of a network web server...
) - Software Management features (above) accommodate quick and easy application of security advisories on server side
- Webtop administrator can control which applications and data each user is allowed to access
High availability:
- From a single device access Windows, UNIX, Linux, and Mainframe applications, all at the same time
- Minimal hardware requirements for client devices (except for rendered technologies such as Flash/Flex/SilverLight)
- Less downtime - robust server system more easily protected and less likely to fail than multiple client desktops
- Fault tolerance - if a client device fails for any reason simply replace it with any other supported client device without loss of data, configuration, preferences, or application access
Drawbacks
Security: Because all data is transferred over the internet, it might be possible for a cracker to intercept the connection and read data. Although with the use of httpsHttps
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure is a combination of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol with SSL/TLS protocol to provide encrypted communication and secure identification of a network web server...
256-bit encryption and access control list
Access control list
An access control list , with respect to a computer file system, is a list of permissions attached to an object. An ACL specifies which users or system processes are granted access to objects, as well as what operations are allowed on given objects. Each entry in a typical ACL specifies a subject...
s, this can be easily safe-guarded.
Speed: When using a web desktop the whole code used for visualization (.js/.css files, Flash player files, etc.) needs to be transferred to the local computer, so that it can be displayed. Further, network latency or congestion can intermittently slow webtop activity. Offline application storage can mitigate this issue.
Application features: Some webtop delivered applications may not contain the full feature set of their traditional desktop counterparts
Network Access: Web desktops require access to a network. If the client device is misconfigured or the network is unreachable then the web desktop is unavailable.
Controlled access: In some webtop implementations and deployments a user's access to some applications and data can be restricted. This is also considered an advantage of webtops but can be viewed as a drawback from the user's perspective.
Central control: The normal webtop user is not able to install additional applications or update existing applications. Updates typically must be performed by an administrator on the server side. Webtop users are dependent upon the webtop administrator whereas in the traditional desktop environment the user can fix and/or break the system by installing new software or updates. This can also be seen as an advantage for webtops.
Comparison of web desktops
The following tables compare general and technical information for a number of web desktops.| Name | Browser support | Developer | Engine | Free | License | 3rd party applications | Productivity Suite | Graphical user interface | Downloadable to Web server |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| appFlower AppFlower AppFlower is an open source application builder for use in building enterprise ready web-based applications. With the aim to make development doable by everyone, doing so with automatic code generations. AppFlower provides a visual designer to easily develop application without prior knowledge of... |
IE6/7/8, Firefox3/4/5, Safari, Opera, Chrome | AppFlower ApS | appFlower based on PHP PHP PHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting language originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document... + AJAX Ajax (programming) Ajax is a group of interrelated web development methods used on the client-side to create asynchronous web applications... |
Open Source: GPLv3 GNU General Public License The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project.... |
Yes | Customizable | |||
| CloudMe (icloud Icloud CloudMe is an online computer, like an operating system running in the cloud with an AJAX-based remote web desktop. The CloudMe service is owned and developed by Xcerion, a Swedish company. It is accessible from both desktop operating systems and mobile operating systems using WebDAV... ) |
IE 6/7/8/9, Firefox 3.5+, Chrome, Safari, Mobile Version: all browsers | Xcerion AB | AJAX | Proprietary | Zoho Office, proprietary email, calendar, IM, Games | Windows Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal... -like |
|||
| DesktopTwo DesktopTwo Desktoptwo was a free Webtop developed by Sapotek that mimics the look, feel and functionality of the desktop environment of an operating system. The software only reached beta stage... |
IE7 | Sapotek | Flash SWF SWF is an Adobe Flash file format used for multimedia, vector graphics and ActionScript. Originating with FutureWave Software, then transferred to Macromedia, and then coming under the control of Adobe, SWF files can contain animations or applets of varying degrees of interactivity and function.,... |
(Beta) | Open Source AGPL | OpenOffice | Mac Mac OS X Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems... +Windows Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal... -like |
||
| eyeOS EyeOS eyeOS is an open source web desktop following the cloud computing concept that seeks to enable collaboration and communication among users. It is mainly written in PHP, XML, and JavaScript. It acts as a platform for web applications written using the eyeOS Toolkit. It includes a Desktop environment... |
IE6/7/8, Firefox2/3, Safari, Opera, Chrome | eyeOS Team | PHP PHP PHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting language originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document... + AJAX Ajax (programming) Ajax is a group of interrelated web development methods used on the client-side to create asynchronous web applications... |
Open Source: AGPL3 Affero General Public License The Affero General Public License, often abbreviated as Affero GPL and AGPL , refers to two distinct, though historically related, free software licenses:... |
Yes | Customizable | |||
| G.ho.st G.ho.st G.ho.st was the trading name of Ghost Inc. and the service name and URL of the company's hosted computer operating system or WebOS service. Its name is an acronym of Global Hosted Operating SysTem. The old URL G.ho.st is a domain hack using the São Tomé and Príncipe .st country extension and more... |
IE6+, Firefox2+, Safari. Partial: Chrome & Opera | Ghost Inc ("G.ho.st") | Flash SWF SWF is an Adobe Flash file format used for multimedia, vector graphics and ActionScript. Originating with FutureWave Software, then transferred to Macromedia, and then coming under the control of Adobe, SWF files can contain animations or applets of varying degrees of interactivity and function.,... + AJAX (mobile version is WAP) |
Proprietary | Yahoo! Zimbra, Zoho, Google Docs, ILoveIM | Windows Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal... -like |
|||
| Glide OS Glide OS Glide OS is a cross-platform web desktop developed by . It is notable for operating on both desktop operating systems, like Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux and mobile operating systems like Apple iOS, Google Android and Honeycomb, BlackBerry OS and BlackBerry Tablet OS , webOS, Symbian and... |
IE7, Firefox 3, Safari, Chrome | TransMedia | HTML5 SWF SWF is an Adobe Flash file format used for multimedia, vector graphics and ActionScript. Originating with FutureWave Software, then transferred to Macromedia, and then coming under the control of Adobe, SWF files can contain animations or applets of varying degrees of interactivity and function.,... |
(30 GB limit) | Proprietary | From Glide Community | Glide Write, Glide Presenter, Glide Crunch, Photo Editor, Email | Mac Mac OS X Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems... +Windows Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal... -like |
|
| Nivio Nivio Nivio is a global Cloud Computing innovator with the unique vision of removing computing constraints and providing ubiquitous access to Windows. The company was selected as a World Economic Forum - Technology Pioneer in 2009.... |
IE7, IE8, Google Chrome, FF 4 | Sachin Dev Duggal, Saurabh Dhoot | In development | Proprietary | Yes | Windows Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal... |
|||
| Online OS Online OS Not to be confused with Web Operating System.The Online Operating System is a fully multi-lingual and free to use web desktop written in JavaScript using Ajax... |
FF 1.5 and higher, IE7 | iCUBE Network Solutions | Java Java (programming language) Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities... + Ajax Ajax (programming) Ajax is a group of interrelated web development methods used on the client-side to create asynchronous web applications... |
Proprietary | Yes | Windows Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal... -like |
|||
| xOS Webtop XOS Webtop xOS Webtop is an open source webtop OS making the cloud computing experience easy for everyone and available almost anywhere. It is mainly written in HTML5, PHP, and JavaScript. xOS includes a Desktop or Mobile environment with a number of features, applications, and system utilities being added... |
FF 5.0+, Chrome 12+, Safari | XProduct | HTML5, PHP PHP PHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting language originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document... , Javascript JavaScript JavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles.... |
Open Source: AGPL Affero General Public License The Affero General Public License, often abbreviated as Affero GPL and AGPL , refers to two distinct, though historically related, free software licenses:... |
Yes | Mac Macintosh The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a... -like |
See also
- Comparison of remote desktop software
- Online office suite
- Rich Internet applicationRich Internet applicationA Rich Internet Application is a Web application that has many of the characteristics of desktop application software, typically delivered either by way of a site-specific browser, via a browser plug-in, independent sandboxes, extensive use of JavaScript, or virtual machines...
- Virtual Network ComputingVirtual Network ComputingIn computing, Virtual Network Computing is a graphical desktop sharing system that uses the RFB protocol to remotely control another computer...
- Web operating systemWeb operating systemIn metacomputing, WebOS and Web operating system are terms that describe network services for Internet scale distributed computing, as in the WebOS Project at UC Berkeley, and the WOS Project...
- Hosted desktopHosted desktopA hosted desktop is a product set within the larger cloud-computing sphere.The product set commonly involves a browser-based connection to a desktop environment which includes an office productivity suite alongside other desktop applications...