Web desktop
A web desktop (or online desktop ) is a web application that makes a virtual desktop available as a rich internet application on a local web browser via the internet .
history
The first web-based desktop was developed in 1993 by Andy Bovingdon and Ronald Record for SCO (Santa Cruz Operation) for Unix . This was followed by the SUN ONE Webtop , which provided the StarOffice desktop with its integrated browser. This already went beyond the online editor . At the moment mainly Java or JavaScript / Ajax applications are being developed. Nivio recently further developed the web-based server concept of the thin client for the Windows operating system.
Comparison of web desktop vs. local desktop
advantages
Convenience: A personalized desktop on any supported device.
Mobility: Access the desktop anywhere from any supported device.
Session management : The session management on the server side allows the user to save their session and restore it on another device.
Software management: Applications are provided centrally, all clients use the same versions and programs and updates do not have to be distributed over the network.
Safety:
- Less susceptible to typical attacks such as B. Viruses and worms
- Important data is stored on a secure server and not on many, possibly insecure and vulnerable clients (e.g. smartphones and laptops)
- Encrypted data exchange between server and clients (e.g. https )
- The software management (above) enables quick and easy security management of the server
Availability:
- Minimum hardware requirements for the clients (except for rendering technologies such as Flash / Flex / Silverlight)
- Less downtime - Servers are easier to protect and the chance of server failure is less than that of multiple client desktops
- Error tolerance - if a client fails, it can be replaced by another supported client without losing data, configurations or program access.
disadvantage
Security: Since all of the data is sent over the Internet, it is possible for an attacker to intercept and possibly read the data. This should be avoided by using https-256-bit encryption and an access control list .
Speed: When using a web desktop, all the visualization code (JavaScript files, stylesheets, Flash animations, etc., etc.) must be transferred to the local computer in order to be displayed. Furthermore, latency times or overloads can slow down web desktop activities.
Program Features: Some web desktop applications may have May have less functionality than their desktop counterparts.
Network access: Web desktops require Internet access. If the client is incorrectly configured or the network cannot be reached, the web desktop is also not available.
Controlled access: Some web desktops can restrict certain users' access to programs and certain data. This can be seen as an advantage from the point of view of the administrator, but also as a disadvantage from the point of view of the user.
Central control: the normal web desktop user is unable to install additional programs or update existing programs. Updates usually need to be performed by an administrator. This means that users are not able to work on the system themselves, but are dependent on the administrators. This can also be seen as an advantage.
Comparison of web desktops
The following list gives a rough overview of existing web desktops. The respective articles for the products provide more detailed information. This list is probably neither complete nor up-to-date. Anyone expecting their own desktop computer in a browser will be disappointed. For example, the host PC uses the browser for popup windows. These types of systems cannot be compared to a sandbox .
| Surname | developer | Engine | License | Free | External application support | basis | Usable as a web server |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 & 1 WebDesk | 1 & 1 Internet AG | Qooxdoo | - | No | Yes | own | No |
| AaronOS | Aaron Adams | HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, PHP | Open source | Yes | own | No | |
| AstraNos | AstraNos | JavaScript / PHP / WebSocket / WebRTC / AJAX | Proprietary | Yes | No | ||
| ByteOS | Byte Connect GmbH | Dojo Toolkit / OSGi / Spring-DM | - | No | Yes | Windows + Mac + Linux-like | Yes |
| centralOffice | Waldmann, Hareter | PHP / Flash | - | yes (beta) | Yes | Windows + Mac-like | |
| Ancyradesktop | Bayersoft, Inc | C / AJAX | - | Yes | Yes | Windows-like | |
| CorneliOS | The CorneliOS Project | Perl / Ajax | GPL | Yes | Yes | Windows + Mac-like | |
| Desktop On Demand | Desktop On Demand | Java / NX | - | yes (beta) | Yes | Linux + Windows-like | |
| DesktopTwo | Sapotek | Flash | AGPL | yes (beta) | No | Windows + Mac-like | No |
| i2cube ASP.net Web Desktop | i2cube Ltd & Co Kg | Ajax / .NET | - | No | Yes | Windows-like | - |
| ESuite | Imagine | Ajax / .NET | - | No | Yes | Windows-like | - |
| eyeos | eyeos team | Ajax, PHP and Python | Proprietary | No | Yes | Linux, Mac and Windows like | Yes |
| Fenestela | Websilog SARL | Ajax | - | No | Yes | Windows-like | |
| greatOS | greatOS team | PHP, MySql | - | Yes | No | Windows, Linux, Mac-like | |
| G.ho.st | Ghost Inc | Flash | Proprietary | yes (alpha) | Yes | Windows-like | Yes |
| Goowy | Goowy Media, Inc. | Flash | No | Yes | Windows + Mac-like | ||
| I app | Society for deep support economy | Windows | - | No | Yes | Windows-like | |
| Lucid desktop | Dojo Foundation | PHP / MySQL / Ajax | (Academic Free License) | Yes | Yes | Own | |
| masteroffice | master-p-formance | PHP / Ajax | - | No | Yes | Windows / Outlook-like | |
| MyRSS | MyRSS team | Ajax | - | Yes | Yes | Tab- based | |
| Netvibes | Netvibes team | Ajax | Proprietary | Yes | Yes | Tab- based | No |
| Nivio | Nivio team | Windows | Proprietary | no ($ 5 / month) | Yes | Windows | |
| Online operating system | iCUBE Network Solutions | JavaScript / Ajax | Open Source (proprietary API: reBOX) | Yes reBox: No. |
Yes | Windows 2000-like | No |
| Open Virtual Desktop | Ulteo | Java | Open source | Yes | Yes | Linux-like | Yes |
| Orbios | Orbios Ltd. | JavaScript / PHP | 20 GB | No | |||
| Orca desktop | Team Orca / Fenestela | Ajax | - | No | Yes | Windows-like | |
| Os.js | Os.js | JavaScript / Node.js / PHP | Open Source: Simplified BSD License | Yes | own | Yes | |
| OX App Suite | Open-Xchange | JavaScript, HTML5 | Backend: GPLv2, Frontend: Creative Commons | Yes | Yes | Linux based | No |
| Page flakes | Page flakes | Ajax | Proprietary | Yes | No | Tab based | No |
| PHP Explorer | darographix | PHP / Ajax | - | Yes | No | Mac clone | |
| Peepel | Peepel Technology | PHP / Ajax | - | Yes | No | Windows + Mac-like | |
| Protopage | Protopage | Ajax | Proprietary | Yes | Yes | Tab- based | |
| Purefect | Klorofil Project / Saltanera | PHP / Ajax | CPL | - | Yes | Windows + Mac-like | |
| StartForce | Fusion Network Services Corp. | - | - | Yes | ? | Windows-like | |
| theWebtop | Atlantis Computing | Ajax | Yes | Yes | Tab- based | ||
| Ulteo | Ulteo | Sun Java | Proprietary | Yes | No | Kubuntu Linux | |
| universeOS | Transparency Everywhere | PHP / Ajax / JavaScript / MySQL | Proprietary (Beta) | Yes | Yes | own | Yes |
| Web desk | iData GmbH | PHP / Ajax / JavaScript / MySQL | Proprietary | Yes | Yes | Windows-like | |
| Webdesktop.biz | Lloyd Hardy Enterprises | HTML5 / JavaScript / PHP7 / CSS3 / XML | AGPL | No | Yes | ||
| WebDows | Code vendor | Ajax / JavaScript / ASP.NET | Proprietary | Yes | Yes | Windows-like | |
| WebTop | Inovamatic | JavaScript / PHP / WebSocket / AJAX | Proprietary | No | own | ||
| web-windows.de | Variabilis | JavaScript / JSP / Ajax / PHP / Applet | Proprietary | Yes | Yes | Windows + Mac-like | |
| windows4all | windows4all.com | Silverlight | - | yes (alpha) | Yes | Windows-like | |
| woos | woo's team | Ajax and PHP | Proprietary | Yes | Yes | Linux, Mac and Windows like | Yes |
| cloudo (xindesk) | XIN | Ajax | Proprietary | - | Yes | Windows-like | |
| XwebOffice | XwebOffice | JavaScript / PHP | Proprietary | Yes | No | Windows + Mac-like | |
| yourMinis | Goowy Media, Inc. | Flash | Proprietary | Yes | No | Tab based | No |