Is It Possible To Completely Go Browser Based?

[InkofDeath]

With the eve of cloud-computing practically rewriting the standards of what servers are now, the continued push from companies, like Google, into the 'next phase of computing,' so called 'browser based computing' or other variants of the name, is coming closer and closer to becoming feasible. Then again, is it already here? Google feels confident enough to be advertising their upcoming O/S based around the fact that browser based computing is already possible. We see Microsoft, the giant or the ex-giant in computer history, taking notice and over the past 19 months has gone from the perspective of hardcore desk-top apps, to this whole re-re-thought perspective on what 'LIVE' is going to be.

 

 

 

Back to Google, those that have seen the Google Wave demo, or who've gotten into the developers club for Wave, will notice how much social networking platforms are going to be integrated into Wave, in a browser of course. Then comes along the netbook market, that stunned everyone and then developers began to realize that those devices couldn't handle intensive GPU or CPU rendering, but 'our big servers can (cloud-computing)'.[/i In my opinion netbooks have really been the force behind latest explosions in online storage sites, online media player sites, in-browser games, and so much more.

 

 

 

Yet, is it possible now, in this year, or perhaps even 2010? Is it possible to start-up your O/S, automatically launch your browser, and never look at your desktop? Of course it isn't yet, but the main reason is because there's so many different types of people using computers. Some people are the developers, some people are only here for the social scene, some are here to game, others for graphical or 3D creation...etc.

 

 

 

And there are some problems, due to ISP's mainly. Download speeds in the U.S. are on average 3 Mb/s, China's divided, and India is on its way there. So ok, if you want to view 100 pictures, it may take awhile, if you want to download those pictures (for some crazy reason, like an electronic picture frame, or to watch in the car...etc), it'll be a bit slow/time consuming. As well, you'll probably get surprised by $40-$60 extra a month on your internet bill due to bandwidth caps. Oh and your privacy may be open to everyone or to companies like Microsoft, or Google, or the government.

 

 

 

Thus a checklist. I don't know how many will participate here, or keep this thread alive, since it is the Tech forum, but it should be an interesting insight in how little or how far the gap is between the death of desktop computing and browser-based computing in the cloud. Basically I'm going to start this list below, probably small, and not very impressive. However over a few days or so, that list should grow from suggestions from the community, eventually covering the majority of programs needed to function properly while on the computer, for doing work and whatnot. At the same time suggestions of websites that provide solutions to the desktop program functionality can also be suggested and will be added as long as no one has something crucial to say about it.

 

 

 

So the format]: Suggested Site/Online Programs[/u][/code]

 

*Don't have to follow this format, but it would make it easier

 

 

 

Example:

 

 

 

E-Mail: G-Mail

 

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Pointers:

 

 

 

- Multiple suggestions are needed as well for just one necessary functionality, like there could be Hotmail, or some other e-mail program online that you may want to suggest.

 

- Link to the site.

 

- You must not go to the desktop to use it at all, even minuscule.

 

- Eventually hide tags will be used, as well as categories used to clean the list up, if it becomes large enough.

 

- The point is to see where we're at, and to share useful sites, as well as fun. :)

 

 

 

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The Checklist

 

 

 

E-Mail: G-Mail

 

 

 

Instant Messenger: ebuddy

 

 

 

Audio Media Players: Pandora Last.fm

 

 

 

Video Media Players: YouTube Vimeo YouTube

 

 

 

Picture Storage/Sharing: Flickr TinyPic ImageShack PhotoBucket

 

 

 

File Transfers: MegaUpload.com RapidShare

 

 

 

Word Processor: Google Docs

 

 

 

Slideshow: Google Docs

 

 

 

Spreadsheet: Google Docs

 

 

 

Weather: Suggested Site/Online Programs

 

 

 

Calender: Suggested Site/Online Programs

 

 

 

Daily Paper: Suggested Site/Online Programs

 

 

 

Tv Shows: Hulu (Americans) BBC iPlayer (UK)

 

 

 

Movies: Suggested Site/Online Programs

 

 

 

Voice Communication: Suggested Site/Online Programs

 

 

 

Graphics Editor: SumoPaint

 

 

 

Microblogger: Twitter

 

 

 

Art Sharing: DeviantART

 

 

 

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Those are just a few of things that pop into my head that I use on my desktop and in my browser. Hopefully the community can bring in their personal uses and expand this narrow list, as well as suggest online programs that offer the functionality that is necessary!

 

 

 

Fun times.

[Sam]

TV Shows: BBC iPlayer (UK)

 

Instant Messenger: ebuddy

[Hawks]

Graphics Editor: SumoPaint

 

Not as good as GIMP/PS but it's usable completely online

 

File Uploader: MegaUpload.com

 

File Uploader: RapidShare

 

Online Music: Pandora

 

Online Music: Last.fm (if you play directly through the browser or use a browser addon)

 

Microblogger: Twitter

 

Art Sharing: DeviantART

 

Image Hosting: TinyPic

 

Image Hosting: ImageShack

 

Image Hosting: PhotoBucket

 

Online Videos/Music: YouTube

 

 

 

Personally I prefer RapidShare/Last.fm/TinyPic. I would also add that depending on the browser you're using there are useful addons that have the functionality of a whole site in them (Fire.fm is one).

[PastyGangsta]

It's entirely possible, but if you have the physical computing ability and resources to stay with traditional programs, I would.

 

 

 

Interesting inquiry though, and it seems that list is pretty much complete for everything I use my computer for anyway.

[InkofDeath]

Lol, made me chuckle when there's a UK and American player, yet Canada got left out of both. GG. :(

 

 

 

And I separated the media player into video and audio since there's going to be a large list there.

[Furah]

Daily Paper: Digg

 

 

 

It's news, and alot of it you would find in papers so it counts.

[Bauke]

Google is said to be working on something like that: Chrome OS.

[Sam]

Graphics Editor: Picnik

 

Graphics Editor: Photoshop Express

 

Email: Hotmail

 

Audio Media Player: Grooveshark

 

Picture Storage/Sharing: Imagehost.org

 

Video Media Player: Dailymotion

 

Video Media Player: Viddler

 

TV Shows: itvplayer (UK)

 

TV Shows: Sky Player (UK)

 

File Transfers: Mediafire

 

File Transfers: Sendspace

 

Weather: Weather.com

 

 

 

[hide=BBCode for above]

[b][u]Graphics Editor:[/u][/b] [url=http://www.picnik.com/][u]Picnik[/u][/url]

[b][u]Graphics Editor:[/u][/b] [url=http][u]Photoshop Express[/u][/url]

[b][u]Email:[/u][/b] [url=http://www.hotmail.com/][u]Hotmail[/u][/url]

[b][u]Audio Media Player:[/u][/b] [url=http://www.grooveshark.com/][u]Grooveshark[/u][/url]

[b][u]Picture Storage/Sharing:[/u][/b] [url=http://www.imagehost.org/][u]Imagehost.org[/u][/url]

[b][u]Video Media Player:[/u][/b] [url=http://www.dailymotion.com/][u]Dailymotion[/u][/url]

[b][u]Video Media Player:[/u][/b] [url=http://www.viddler.com/][u]Viddler[/u][/url]

[b][u]TV Shows:[/u][/b] [url=http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/][u]itvplayer (UK)[/u][/url]

[b][u]TV Shows:[/u][/b] [url=http://skyplayer.sky.com/vod/page/default/home.do][u]Sky Player (UK)[/u][/url]

[b][u]File Transfers:[/u][/b] [url=http://mediafire.com][u]Mediafire[/u][/url]

[b][u]File Transfers:[/u][/b] [url=http://sendspace.com][u]Sendspace[/u][/url]

[b][u]Weather:[/u][/b] [url=http://weather.com][u]Weather.com[/u][/url]

[/hide]

 

 

 

 

 

I think it'd be a good idea if you added Social Bookmarking (stumbleupon,delicious etc) on the list of services