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Public Beta For OpenDesk

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the gpl-office-over-the-web dept.

Isaac-Lew wrote to us pointing out that Opendesk.com has gone into public beta. From the looks of it, they are trying to implement an Office-like suite of features on the Web. Word Processor and such are still forthcoming, but they have got calendering tools, web mail and other "applications" in place. One of the most interesting aspects is that they claim to be open sourcing the project. I can't quite tell if it's a Sun-style commuity source licensem, or a GPL [?] style license.

4 of 82 comments (clear)

  1. License by Telcontar · · Score: 4
    There are actually two licenses:


    "OpenDesk.com public license (ODPL), and the SmartWorker public license (SWPL). The former covers applications written and hosted within OpenDesk.com. The latter covers our open source application framework, SmartWorker.


    The two licenses differ in the following ways:


    1. SWPL applies to the core API that OpenDesk.com is built on. However, it can also be used for
    non-OpenDesk.com software and, therefore, must be flexible to accommodate other uses. The SWPL will
    be similar in intent and structure to the GNU Library General Public License (LGPL, available at http://www.fsf.org/copyleft/lesser.html). This means that it will allow linking with non Open Source code while always remaining free and Open Source itself.


    2. ODPL is more strict than SWPL insofar as it does not allow linking to non-Open Source code. Anyone
    who uses ODPL covered code in either a new distribution or a new server application must release the source code to their software under ODPL. While the GNU General Public License (GPL, available at http://www.fsf.org/copyleft/gpl.html) was considered, we are finalizing a license closer to the Mozilla Public License (MPL, available at http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/MPL-1.0.html) as it is clearer about uses of source code in server applications, as well as including the aforementioned patent and copyright infringement clauses."

  2. Do you want all your info on the web? by c+era · · Score: 4
    While this is a great idea, who is going to prevent the company from viewing your workspace. Now some of you will think I'm just paranoid, but look at how many ISP were reading e-mail. With the current laws in place it is legal for them to "check" your workspace to "make sure" no laws are being broken.

    They also make it seem that it is imposible to get your password because they use challenge-responce. Let's get real, look at NT!

  3. I have a problem with this by aheitner · · Score: 4

    I don't want to run apps that suck.

    This includes, dismissively (evidence the the contrary lacking completely, in my experience)

    - all wordprocessors, IDEs, and anything else written in Java. Too many compatibility problems with JITC (no one's stuff works with anyone else's), and otherwise way too slow.
    Forget it.

    - any app run through a web browser. Come on, the web browser is the single flakiest app on my machine. Slow, bloated, crashy. IE5 is better than Netscape but not so much so that I'd want my productivity to depend on a web based desktop.
    Also forget it.

    A call to application developers:

    There is, to paraphrase Carmack, a self-imposed discipline that comes from supporting multiple platforms. Get yourself a nice cross-platform widget library, Gtk+ (1.0 works in win32, but they need to spend the time to get 1.2 to win32 perfectly), wxWindows, Qt and pay for it, I don't care.

    No Motif. Period.

    No MFC. Period.

    Anything you write should run beautifully on my SPARC 5 85MHz. Period. Nothing useful may ever require more power than that.

    ...

    The OpenDesktop song is pretty good tho :)

  4. Not a troll - do slashdotters get the web? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4
    Many of the posts I see in here (which are moderated up), seem to extoll the desktop model, while doubting the efficacy of networked applications.

    This is odd considering that as a group, you already make extensive use of a web message board technology by virtue of using this site.

    While I don't agree with the "web site as desktop" metaphor, there is obvious power in website as applications.

    I've never seen "desktop applications" as terribly useful - I get around, and I need data to be accessible from wherever I am. Web email, file storage, and messaging apps are crucial to me.

    I can't even remember the hassles of having to haul around my own laptop in order to see my data.

    I understand there are security concerns. Use sites that emply ssl, pick your password intelligently - you'll be fine.

    When I see people devoting their time to making calendar apps for KDE or GTK, I can't help but think that these folks just don't understand. Even though it sounds pithy, Sun is correct - "the network is the computer".