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More On Cloud Computing

Web OS

What exactly is a Web OS? Sometimes called a virtual computer
or a Webtop, a Web OS is an operating system that lives on a
server somewhere on the Internet. It looks just like the
Windows operating system you're used to, but instead of living
on your local computer's hard drive, it lives on a server. The
beauty behind this is that you can access your Web OS from any
device that has a capable web browser and an Internet
connection.

Needless to say, because your Web OS lives in a cloud (on the
Internet) you'll be able to access your files from any
computer, so that immediately takes care of the file sync
problem mentioned above. And you will also be able to access
all your Web OS applications and personal settings.

There are several popular Web OS services such as Glide OS and
iCloud. The most popular however seems to be G.ho.st
Because of the annoying way in which it is spelled,
in this article I'll simply refer to it as Ghost (not to be
confused with Norton Ghost).



Pros and Cons of a Web OS

If you're the type of user that occasional composes e-mail or
surfs the web once in a blue moon, then a Web OS may be
overkill. But if you're the type of user that uses multiple
computers, a Web OS may make your life a lot easier when
working with common files and applications. One of the biggest
advantages when working with a Web OS is that its performance
is not dependent on your local computer but on the computing
power of the server on which it resides. So, you can be on a
snail of a PC and still get pretty good performance from your
Web OS. On the down side, you probably don't want to do
serious computer work on a Web OS over a 56K dial up
connection, as screen refreshes and file transfer would be
horrendously slow. A broadband connection is recommended for
optimal performance and to avoid syrupy slow response times.

Getting Started With a Web OS



If you're familiar with the common Windows interface then
transitioning to a Web OS will be a piece of cake. You just
need to choose a Web OS service that fits your needs. My
personal favorite is Ghost (mentioned above) because it also
has a mobile interface so that I can access my account from my
smart phone. Ghost conforms to the Windows GUI--a task bar
that's parked at the bottom of the desktop and there's a GO
button in lieu of the Windows Start button. There is also a
Quick Launch in the menu bar for all your shortcuts and the
familiar system tray sits to the right of everything on the
menu bar.

Ghost gives you a nice file sync utility so that your files are
the same across all your other computers. The file sync tool
works with PC and Mac. To keep your files properly synced and
to avoid any conflicts, it's best to sync in both directions
and to set the "conflict resolution" option.

Working with multiple computers can present its challenges; for
example, keeping all your files across your computers
synchronized. A Web OS can solve this problem while giving you
convenient access to a common set of applications and
settings.

   

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