Workspace
Encyclopedia
Workspace is a term used in various branches of engineering and economic development.
or economic development agencies, to help new businesses
to establish themselves. These typically provide not only physical space and utilities, but also administrative services and links to support and finance organisations, as well as peer support among the tenants. A continuum of sophistication ranges through categories such as 'managed workspaces', 'business incubators' and 'business and employment co-operatives'. In cities, they are often set up in buildings that are disused but which the local authority wishes to retain as a landmark, such as tramsheds. At the larger end of the spectrum are business park
s, technology parks and science parks.
and software, Workspace is a term used for several different purposes.
or directory
that allows a user to gather various source code
files and resources
and work with them as a cohesive unit. Often these files and resources represent the complete state of an IDE at a given time, a snapshot. Workspaces are very helpful in cases of complex project
s when maintenance can be challenging. Good examples of environments that allow users to create and use workspaces are Microsoft Visual Studio
and Eclipse
.
In configuration management
, 'workspace' takes on a different but related meaning; now it is a part of the file system where the files of interest (for a given task like debugging, development, etc.) are located. It stores the user's view of the files stored in the configuration management's repository.
In either case, workspace acts as an environment where a programmer can work, isolated from the outside world, for the task duration.
Additionally, workspaces refer to the grouping of windows
in some window managers. Grouping applications in this way is meant to reduce clutter and make the desktop
easier to navigate.
Multiple workspaces are prevalent on Unix-like
operating system
s and certain operating system shells. Mac OS X 10.5 includes an equivalent feature called "Spaces
"; a Windows XP
PowerToy is available to bring this functionality to Windows.
Most systems with support for workspaces provide keyboard shortcuts to switch between them. Many also include some form of workspace switcher to change between them and sometimes to move windows between them as well.
Workspaces are visualized in different ways. For example, on Linux computers using Compiz
or Beryl
with the Cube and Rotate Cube plugins enabled, each workspace is rendered as a face of an on-screen cube
, and switching between workspaces is visualized by zooming out from the current face, rotating the cube to the new face, and zooming back in. On Mac OS, the old set of windows slides off the screen and the new set slides on. Systems without "eye candy
" often simply remove the old windows and display the new ones without any sort of intermediate effect.
, Workspace is a term used by software vendors for applications that allow users to exchange and organize files over the Internet
.
Such applications have several advantages over traditional FTP clients or virtual folder
offerings, including:
Beyond organizing and sharing files, these applications can often also be used as a business communication tool for assigning tasks, scheduling meetings, and maintaining contact information.
Business development
Workspace refers to small premises provided, often by local authoritiesLocal government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
or economic development agencies, to help new businesses
Startup company
A startup company or startup is a company with a limited operating history. These companies, generally newly created, are in a phase of development and research for markets...
to establish themselves. These typically provide not only physical space and utilities, but also administrative services and links to support and finance organisations, as well as peer support among the tenants. A continuum of sophistication ranges through categories such as 'managed workspaces', 'business incubators' and 'business and employment co-operatives'. In cities, they are often set up in buildings that are disused but which the local authority wishes to retain as a landmark, such as tramsheds. At the larger end of the spectrum are business park
Business park
A business park or office park is an area of land in which many office buildings are grouped together. All of the work that goes on is commercial, not industrial or residential....
s, technology parks and science parks.
Technology and Software
In technologyTechnology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
and software, Workspace is a term used for several different purposes.
Software development
A workspace is (often) a fileComputer file
A computer file is a block of arbitrary information, or resource for storing information, which is available to a computer program and is usually based on some kind of durable storage. A file is durable in the sense that it remains available for programs to use after the current program has finished...
or directory
Directory (file systems)
In computing, a folder, directory, catalog, or drawer, is a virtual container originally derived from an earlier Object-oriented programming concept by the same name within a digital file system, in which groups of computer files and other folders can be kept and organized.A typical file system may...
that allows a user to gather various source code
Source code
In computer science, source code is text written using the format and syntax of the programming language that it is being written in. Such a language is specially designed to facilitate the work of computer programmers, who specify the actions to be performed by a computer mostly by writing source...
files and resources
Resource (computer science)
A resource, or system resource, is any physical or virtual component of limited availability within a computer system. Every device connected to a computer system is a resource. Every internal system component is a resource...
and work with them as a cohesive unit. Often these files and resources represent the complete state of an IDE at a given time, a snapshot. Workspaces are very helpful in cases of complex project
Project
A project in business and science is typically defined as a collaborative enterprise, frequently involving research or design, that is carefully planned to achieve a particular aim. Projects can be further defined as temporary rather than permanent social systems that are constituted by teams...
s when maintenance can be challenging. Good examples of environments that allow users to create and use workspaces are Microsoft Visual Studio
Microsoft Visual Studio
Microsoft Visual Studio is an integrated development environment from Microsoft. It is used to develop console and graphical user interface applications along with Windows Forms applications, web sites, web applications, and web services in both native code together with managed code for all...
and Eclipse
Eclipse (software)
Eclipse is a multi-language software development environment comprising an integrated development environment and an extensible plug-in system...
.
In configuration management
Software configuration management
In software engineering, software configuration management is the task of tracking and controlling changes in the software. Configuration management practices include revision control and the establishment of baselines....
, 'workspace' takes on a different but related meaning; now it is a part of the file system where the files of interest (for a given task like debugging, development, etc.) are located. It stores the user's view of the files stored in the configuration management's repository.
In either case, workspace acts as an environment where a programmer can work, isolated from the outside world, for the task duration.
Graphical interfaces
Window (computing)
In computing, a window is a visual area containing some kind of user interface. It usually has a rectangular shape that can overlap with the area of other windows...
in some window managers. Grouping applications in this way is meant to reduce clutter and make the desktop
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...
easier to navigate.
Multiple workspaces are prevalent on Unix-like
Unix-like
A Unix-like operating system is one that behaves in a manner similar to a Unix system, while not necessarily conforming to or being certified to any version of the Single UNIX Specification....
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...
s and certain operating system shells. Mac OS X 10.5 includes an equivalent feature called "Spaces
Spaces (software)
Spaces was a virtual desktop feature of Mac OS X, introduced in version 10.5 "Leopard". It was announced by Steve Jobs during the opening keynote at the Worldwide Developers Conference on August 7, 2006...
"; a Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
PowerToy is available to bring this functionality to Windows.
Most systems with support for workspaces provide keyboard shortcuts to switch between them. Many also include some form of workspace switcher to change between them and sometimes to move windows between them as well.
Workspaces are visualized in different ways. For example, on Linux computers using Compiz
Compiz
Compiz is one of the first compositing window managers for the X Window System that uses 3D graphics hardware to create fast compositing desktop effects for window management. The effects, such as a minimization effect and a cube workspace are implemented as loadable plugins...
or Beryl
Beryl (window manager)
Beryl was a compositing window manager for the X Window System which forked from Compiz in September 2006 and was re-merged in 2007, under the name of Compiz Fusion.-Origin:...
with the Cube and Rotate Cube plugins enabled, each workspace is rendered as a face of an on-screen cube
Cube
In geometry, a cube is a three-dimensional solid object bounded by six square faces, facets or sides, with three meeting at each vertex. The cube can also be called a regular hexahedron and is one of the five Platonic solids. It is a special kind of square prism, of rectangular parallelepiped and...
, and switching between workspaces is visualized by zooming out from the current face, rotating the cube to the new face, and zooming back in. On Mac OS, the old set of windows slides off the screen and the new set slides on. Systems without "eye candy
Eye candy
Eye candy may refer to:*Attractiveness*Eye Candy , an album by Mis-Teeq*software "Eye Candy", a plugin for Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Fireworks that adds new filter effects*"Eye Candy", an episode of the animated series Happy Tree Friends...
" often simply remove the old windows and display the new ones without any sort of intermediate effect.
Online applications
In the context of Software-as-a-ServiceSoftware as a Service
Software as a service , sometimes referred to as "on-demand software," is a software delivery model in which software and its associated data are hosted centrally and are typically accessed by users using a thin client, normally using a web browser over the Internet.SaaS has become a common...
, Workspace is a term used by software vendors for applications that allow users to exchange and organize files over the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
Such applications have several advantages over traditional FTP clients or virtual folder
Virtual folder
In computing, a virtual folder generally denotes an organizing principle for files that is not dependent on location in a hierarchical directory tree...
offerings, including:
- Ability to capture task performance data and version data
- Organization of information in a more user-friendly interface than a traditional file-based structure
- Secure storage and upload/download of data (many FTP clients are unsecured, susceptible to eavesdropping, or open to other abuse)
- Compatible with virtually all web browserWeb browserA 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...
s and computer operating systemsOperating systemAn 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...
. - Updated on the server-sideServer-sideServer-side refers to operations that are performed by the server in a client–server relationship in computer networking.Typically, a server is a software program, such as a web server, that runs on a remote server, reachable from a user's local computer or workstation...
, meaning that a user will never have to update the software.
Beyond organizing and sharing files, these applications can often also be used as a business communication tool for assigning tasks, scheduling meetings, and maintaining contact information.