Surviving the Software Limitations of the Net PC
by ShahFirst, do read Kurt’s blog entry about the Net PC. It is insightful.
So, what if you did get one with a high priced keyboard, mouse, and monitor, regardless of whether you’ve known about the limitations or not?! How do you survive?
Viva web apps!
Important Note: You’ve only 30 hours of internet access per month. Use the web apps wisely. Increase the cache of your browser as well.
First, frak the Win2K3 on the Net PC. Fire up your browser and launch eyeOS.
eyeOS is a new kind of Operating System, where everything resides on a web browser. With eyeOS, you will have your desktop, applications and files always with you, from your home, your college, your office or your neighbour’s house. Just open a web browser, connect to your eyeOS System and access your personal desktop and all your stuff just like you left it last time.
Now, you’ll probably require an Office suite (’coz many of you are IC3 people :P) and can’t adapt to MS. Office 2K7. Considering the fact that having a gmail account does help you in getting to use the Google Online Office thingies (Google docs), it’s not so good - ‘coz most of you are still noobs and require different accounts for different things. (What if someone else gets hold of your gmail password? Your documents will get compromised.)
So, think free. Really, do think free. LOL - I mean use thinkfree.
ThinkFree Online is a free online edition that runs Write, Calc and Show in a browser using a mix of Java applet and Ajax technologies. Each user is allotted 1 GB of online storage space for saving documents. ThinkFree Online lets users collaborate on documents with others, publish to a blog or the web. ThinkFree Online also keeps a version history per document of the changes that are made. The Java applet version, or Power Edit mode, exists for all three applications, and appears to be an applet port of the original desktop versions written in Java. Ajax-based Quick Edit mode (offered for Write and Show only) can run without the need of starting up an applet. Also, ThinkFree Online is support sync manager utility for seamless connect among the desktop and web and mobile workspace.
Now, you’ll need a calendar (’coz you’ll be hearing about the web 2.0 people talking about their online calendars and you’ll crave for one.) You’ve got to remember the milk.
Yes, remember the milk! LOL
Remember the Milk allows users to create multiple task lists. Added tasks can be edited to include (or not) various fields. Locations can be added, and an integrated Google Maps feature allows users to save commonly used locations. Tasks can also be organised by tags. Tasks can be postponed and Remember the Milk will inform users of the number of times that that task has been postponed.
Oh, what else? You’re student and have work to deliver in PDF. Gosh, what will you do? No need to panic. Neevia can help you out.
Oh, you can’t install Google Talk (even if it’s ajax based in your gmail window) and Skype.
Go for Meebo.
As far as Skype goes, use a thumb drive and save Skype Portable. Run it from there.
What about photo editing? You can’t install the Adobe suite or Gimp or Krita. Fire up Photoshop Express in your web browser. Don’t worry about space, you’ll get 2GB of free space to store your pics (do enable your privacy settings.)
If you’re not fond of photoshop and want something way simpler, give Pixenate a try.
What if you’re a uni student in the field of computing and need to do some serious coding? You can ask a friend to follow the instructions here and make a portable Netbeans for you to use from your thumb drive.
And of course, there’s the basic codeide which currently supports BASIC, Pascal, C, C++, JavaScript, Perl, HTML and DBMS MySQL.
Coming to think of it, portable apps may be your salvation because web apps are limited by the 30 hour monthly internet access limit. You’ve got to admire how we live a la web 2.0 in Mauritius! </sarcasm>
Some of the above mentioned apps are cool. Even if you don’t have a Net PC, give them a try.
Leave your comments and post more apps which can be used on this frakin’ Net PC.
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