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Workspot Offers Free Web-based Linux Accounts
medicthree writes, "Workspot is offering free Linux accounts to anyone who wants one. These accounts are accessible through a normal Web browser, and let anyone install and run whatever (free) software they want to on the accounts. KDE is the window-manager (as I'm still on the waiting list I'm not sure if this can be changed). The system lets one keep up to two different desktops alive 'infinitely,' and they plan on charging later for additional features (more desktops, renting 'high-end' software to use on your account, more disk space, more CPU usage, etc.) One of [Workspot's] angles is that the system lets people 'try' Linux without installing anything on their actual computers. "
Given that it is intended for people who aren't familiar with Linux or UNIX, and who presumably run Windows, XDMCP and ssh aren't particularly useful. If it was intended for seasoned Linux users, that'd be another story, of course..
Or if they could get a (low-bandwidth) X server in a Java applet; though that'd be one big applet...
One word: Bandwidth.
First off, this service has been going for a while. I've had an account for 2 months or more. Second, I was happy to find they are running Debian. It's a potato-based system (glibc 2.1 and all) with a ton of packages (but not quite all) installed. Lastly, when you log into the machine itself, you will notice it's ip is in the 10.*.*.* range. I.E., they have some firewall trickery going on. What this means is there is no way to directly connect to the box other than the methods they provide. So don't expect to run a Quake server or a big Napster client off this site.
http://news .tucows.com/ext2/99/07/networking/072399-networkin g1pf.shtml has an article about setting up something very similar with VNC and xdm. Very cool. Notice the comment at the bottom about anyone being able to take over a vnc session, anyone know if these servers do anything about that?
But really. How many folks actually install their own operating system, except for maybe BSD and Be? Most folks (WinDoze, Mac, and anything bigger) get their 'puters preinstalled, and an increasing number of Linuxites show up at an install party and get the gurus to set it up for them...
You and I and anyone reading this works in a rarified atmosphere of ubergeeks, where recompiling the kernel is a daily occurrence. We're way beyond Six Sigma here...
Welcome to the Real World, where Everyone Else just turns on their computer and expects it to Just Work.
--
warpeightbot, GaTech ICS '90 gus Baird (RIP)
Linux: The Choice of a GNU Generation
See,
http://www.icsi.berkeley.edu/~minenko/PalmVNC/
Due to high volume (wonder why) they're taking 2 days or so to set up accounts....
This thing could be quite benificial for the Linux movement. Now I could just give "regular" people a URL to go try Linux, instead of having to install it on their system first. And then if they like that browser experiance, then maybe they can install it on their own computer. Pretty damn cool if you ask me.
I know plenty of people who'd love to have a free Unix account like this. A lot of them wouldn't want to have to access it through these bizarre VNC clients. The web site seemed curiously silent on this, but I'd like to know if they support ssh logins. If they don't, there's something seriously missing.
I wonder what their load is like? (And whether it'll increase after being slashdotted...) Last time I heard of a free-Unix-account setup, it was ludicrously overloaded. If it's not worth logging in because you won't be able to do anything once you get there, why bother?
And where are they getting their money from, if the major service is free? I didn't even see any adverts on the site. How are they going to stay around?
Uh. Pretty lame. No technical detail. Deep questions like "What does Bill Gates think of this?". I want to try the service but sheesh.
r/
Dave
I have no reason to doubt the honest and serious motives of the crew over at Workspot, inc.
However, whenever I see some 'desktop over the web' or 'backup over the web' or 'write-your-bestseller-over-the-web' ad, my hairs stand straight up. When I hear that an ISP had to disclose his user DB to *** because of transmission of copyrighted material or that some would-be McCarthy in Elbonia (sorry, Dilbert) demands access to user's home directories, I definitely have mixed feelings about storing anything vaguely personal on some server somewhere in the Wild West Web.
Call me paranoid if you like (yes I do ssl transactions), but who guarantees you that you won't get sued over some 'foo.doc' where you wrote that B.C. or J.K. or R.M. or L.T. or C.T. was an idiot/nerd/redneck/sex maniac/DUIer... (properties and characters do not necessarily match here, and surely not in the featured sequence)
Use The Source, Luke!
Actually VNC probably wouldn't work very well for this sort of application, unless I understand it wrong (disclaimer: I've only used it for a week). VNC transmits state. Thus it really only handles one instance of X. I believe that for every graphical login you would have to have a copy of the XServer running... Very resource intensive!!!
You might be able to kludge something together, most of the parts are certainely there. But VNC is designed more for network control of a centralized server than allowing generic graphical X logins.
Also VNC *can* be very resource heavy on the server system, even w/o the overhead of one instance of X to login...which is killer if you are serving *lots*. Using a Java XServer has the advantage that it adds no more overhead than is minimally necessary (I mean, you have to run multiple instances of your WM/Desktop and Apps, but other than that).
-nullity-
I am nothing.
If it's vnc based then that's cool. :
.oO0Oo.
Clients available for all sorts of platforms
Linux 2.x for x86
Solaris 2.5 (SPARC)
Windows 9x/2000/NT (Intel Win32)
Macintosh
- 68K processor
- PPC processor
DEC Alpha OSF1 3.2
Windows CE 2.x
- SH3 processor
- MIPS processor
An of course a Java app in a browser window
I use it on my network at home and also have vnc servers running on my FreeBSD server at work so I can work from home or wherever I am!
Using VNC means that Workspot don't have to care about Video drivers or anything which makes it much easier for them.
There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
The problem with free linux machines on the net (as has been pointed out) is to avoid having them used for DoS attacks, spam, etc.
How are these any different from something like shellyeah.org or VERY low cost shell's that you can afford potentially a high number of and obtain a lot of bandwidth for relatively little cash.
Isn't this kindof like what Sun is trying to do, basically have a thin client access a desktop and apps via a browser to their application server?   I recall them wanting folks to run something like StarOffice 5.x over the net   --   all for a fee...
-- Win2k: "It's not so much that it's only 65,000 bugs, it's just that they stopped at 65,535 to prevent an overflow."
If the demand is high for this service (I'll bet it will be!), how will they keep up? Will they:
a) Just let it bog down until the lag balances with the demand?
b) Limit user accounts to an amount the allocated resources can support?
c) Just keep adding new machines, indefinitely?
Geeky modern art T-shirts
How is this preparing anyone for installing linux at their home or office?
From the FAQ:
Q: Can I install my own software?
A: Sure, if it is free software or if you have a licence for it and it doesn't require root privileges to install.
That has already totally turned me off. This website at best will prepare people for using linux in an environment that will have a systems administrator who will do all the difficult stuff, like setup PPPoE (so that one's DSL connection can be accessed) without any support from your ISP. The only people I can see being attracted to this site are Windows users who are about to be forced to use Linux as a desktop environment and need to quickly familiarize themselves with the linux desktop environment.
Those intrepid enough / with spare cycles to throw away may consider setting like this up themselves. It is almost garunteed that workspot will try to stay behind the development curve. While this is good...because it makes for a consistent environment with little change...it doesn't demo Linux's "flashier" side very well. Not to flame, but KDE doesn't make a stunning impression. Yes, its useful, but it isn't very grabbing. :) I have gotten so used to it that I was surprised to find a friend shocked when I showed him that I could do this! One easily forgets why one uses *nix, hehe.
 
In any case you can easily setup your own similar installation. I've been setting one up for our LUG. It'll give us an URL to refer people to when they want to know what Linux "looks like". I'm using the WiredX java applet, a fine piece of software (it even performs well!!!). You can download it from http://www.wiredx.net.
 
If nothing else, it demonstrates the flexibility of X right off the bat
-nullity-
I am nothing.
here is an url for that mystic vnc :)
(I am sure someone is wondering, since I was
http://www.uk.research.att.com/vnc/
http://www.lastfoot.com has the same service, and they are accepting accounts right now.
They use a vnc based solution.
--
Pretend there is some witty statement here.
I am so glad I got that account last week! With the slashdot crowd heading there the two business day rule may change!
Here are my experiences to date:
To those that expect to install something on their computers: There is nothing to install, they use the java version of vnc and the desktop is presented in your browser. In reality, the entire desktop is like a remote screenshot and looks EXACTLY like a debian KDE typical desktop. They let you customize it but I haven't got that far yet! If not for anything else, use this for shock value on a doze machine and have a debian desktop inside an IE window!
They are true to their word on the two business day waiting period.
Since th VNC client is GPLed, you can actually download their changes from workspot.org; this is my next weekend project...
I don't know how this works through firewalls, but if it does, geeks in doze offices all over the world have just been liberated!
The site is neat but has very very little tech info. There is a faq which adds little value and repeated searches on Google don't lead to any other pages about this service, so it looks like a well kept secret... till now!
On a side note, there was a previous article here about wireless ebay on a palm VII using debian and workspot. I never really understood that one and since I haven't figured out how to list archived article comments by score all I can tell is that the trolls haven't changed much! I think it talks about workspot using debian to provide wireless access to ebay on palm vII!!!
The other cool thing about this service: If you have a license or the software is free and does not require root, you can install it! Can't wait to get the emacs JDE from installed and running so that I can use this site for (*new buzzword alert*) 'remote coding'.
If this site is really for linux newbies to try it out, more info 'bout how to get started would definetely help...currently the site only lets you escape the hassle of installing linux ( not that much of a hassle anyway ) but does not serve as an intro to linux.
Whats with the bannerless CGI enabled apparently limitless web space (faq says don't use _too_ much diskspace, open to interpretation...)? These people seem to have all the goodies on one site.
I tried to ftp out of the box to move my website in but sadly nothing happened! I realized how helpless I was without having the box at my feet: there was none of that reassuring hum from the drive as you clicked on something and waited. How about a flashing [processing command sire]...? Now that would have geek value!