Cloud Operating System

[Titmowse]

I've been messing with gOS. It's a Linux/Ubuntu OS that runs a bunch of applications from the web. They're partnered with Google so they offer a bunch of widgets. It comes with most of the basic OS apps like GIMP for drawing, Open Office for officey stuff and I can download packages for just about any software.

I'm having trouble getting Flash to work in my browser and I can't get the system to recognize my wireless PCMCIA card, but other than that, it's all good.

screenshot:

[odysseus]

From what I've read, Cloud and gOS are two different things. Cloud looks cool, since it apparently can run alongside windows. I'd like to play with it, but all I can find is a download for gOS, which seems to be a stand alone linux os. Do you know where a link is to check out Cloud? Or do I just install gOS? Any advice on keeping my windows as is while playing with this? Am I misunderstanding anything?

Edit: Never mind. Just read the FAQ.

Where can I download Cloud?
At the moment, we do not have any public versions of Cloud available for download.

How can I get Cloud?
Cloud will be first available on the GIGABYTE Touch Netbook M912 early next year. More information on this partnership will be announced on January 8, 2009 at CES.

[Titmowse]

Hey, odysseus

What I meant was a cloud-type operating system - meaning one where most of the applications reside on someone else's web server - not an official brand-name.

I am referring to Cloud Computing - the fancy schmancy buzz term marketers have attributed to Internet-based software.

gOS is a Cloud Operating system based on Ubuntu/Linux. You can run the entire thing with a CD and an Internet connection, or you can install the base files and bootloader onto your machine. Either way, a good many of the applications run from the web.

Mind you, I'm a bigger fan of hard-copy software but I do so love to play with new Linux distros. This one is fun, small and pretty easy to set up.

[balls_deep]

I checked this out when you posted. Its a nice little OS but i'm still sticking with Ubuntu and running kde4.

It's nice, its small, but its just not comparable to a full out Linux distro like im used to.

[Titmowse]

Originally posted by balls_deep
I checked this out when you posted. Its a nice little OS but i'm still sticking with Ubuntu and running kde4.

It's nice, its small, but its just not comparable to a full out Linux distro like im used to.

I agree. I prefer Kubuntu for my desktop but my lappy is a little too weak to handle a full-on Kubuntu. Before I tried out g0S, I was running Puppy Linux on my lappy. I'll probably go back to Puppy after I'm done playing with gOS.

EDIT ADD: I will say that I dig how g0S lets me access my Windows partition and snag files and I've had good success running WINE since it comes pre-installed on gOS.

[balls_deep]

Originally posted by Titmowse
I will say that I dig how g0S lets me access my Windows partition and snag files

I've used linux to recover 5 of my buddies hard drives in the last month. Every drive was fucked and windows wouldnt even recognize it. Linux allowed access and even though it took a while to manually copy each directory (large data transfers failed due to the drives being on their last leg) It was better then spending $1800 to a data recovery service.

Maybe i should start a data recovery service?

[odysseus]

Thanks for the info guys. I keep meaning to dig into the linux stuff, just for fun, but haven't made the time.

So, am I understanding correctly that I could run this gOS from a disk, and not have to mess with windows or partitions or anything?

[balls_deep]

Originally posted by odysseus
Thanks for the info guys. I keep meaning to dig into the linux stuff, just for fun, but haven't made the time.

So, am I understanding correctly that I could run this gOS from a disk, and not have to mess with windows or partitions or anything?

Yes, but you can also run ubuntu or kubuntu directly from a disk.

[odysseus]

Well, I'm on the gOS right now via disk. way different than what I'm used to. Everything is pretty slow. Could I expect something like this to run faster than windows if it were run from a partition on the hard drive?

[Cozy Monica]

Originally posted by balls_deep
I've used linux to recover 5 of my buddies hard drives in the last month. Every drive was fucked and windows wouldnt even recognize it. Linux allowed access and even though it took a while to manually copy each directory (large data transfers failed due to the drives being on their last leg) It was better then spending $1800 to a data recovery service.

Maybe i should start a data recovery service?

This happened to me once. My hard drive took a total nose dive one day and windows wouldn`t even boot anymore. I happened to have a copy of damn small linux on a disc though and used that to boot the computer and then copied out everything from the drive. I was thrilled to bits that I was able to get it all back and I didn`t pay a thing to do it.

[Titmowse]

Originally posted by odysseus
Well, I'm on the gOS right now via disk. way different than what I'm used to. Everything is pretty slow. Could I expect something like this to run faster than windows if it were run from a partition on the hard drive?

Yes, it will run faster if you install it to your hard drive.

I cannot say it will run super extra faster if you install it to your HD - That would depend on your memory/CPU/connection speed. Remember, some of the applications (those located in the toolbar and any Google gadgets you add) will run from/through the Interwebs, so if the online server is slow, that makes your OS slow.

So far, I haven't had any server-side issues and as long as I'm connected to the net, it's all good.

Like I said, I'm having a heck of a time getting gOS to recognize my wireless PCMCIA card and no matter how many times I install gnash or the Flash for Linux plugin, I can't get Flash animations to work on webpages. That could just be me being stupid.

Installing it to your HD, odysseus, is pretty easy. That green icon on the desktop is a wizard and will walk you through partitioning your drive to give gOS space as well as a bootloader so you don't have to do any complicated commands in order to get it working. During boot up (after you've installed gOS) your machine will ask you to choose Windows or gOS and you just click what you want.

I gave gOS 5 gigs of hard drive space and it seems to be enough - for now.

[odysseus]

Cool! Those were the answers to the questions I was wading through google with, tit! You're awesome.