G.ho.st, Zoho and Google Chrome OS, Thoughts on Cloud based Virtual Computer

Finally, I started to understand the signifiance of virtual computer in the cloud. I have using many many web applications, but most of the time, separated, and the one-site-one-job thing. Put them together, they become the Cloud based Virtual Computer - an environment you are always in and using it for all things you need done on a computer

I was looking for a TV show, and found an public online share

G.ho.st's interface is not really my type, but has very nice domain name and it is powered by Amazon Elastic Compute Could. Right now, Amazon EC2 and Google App Engine are the two major could computing sources. I have been reading about them for a while.

Since G.ho.st is on EC2, I decide to try it

It is really a nice experience - although the UI is not really my favorite. It is powered by flash, with heavy jobs done by Java. A little bit slow, but remember it is completely inside the browser. I tested Google Chrome, Safari and IE with it - all run well.

Inside G.ho.st, I try all daily applications in the cloud: file manipulating, news sharing, RSS reading, emailing, messaging, playing music, even a browser inside browser. Their "sideload" method is neat. Very nice local/web sync tool ... It worths 20 mins to go through their video tutorial, which has a shortcut on the virtual computer desktop.

Many of G.ho.st's applications are built based on other web services' APIs: Google, Yahoo, Twitter, Facebook, FriendFeed, you name it ... You can also write your own applications for G.ho.st - of course, completely web based, in the cloud.

G.ho.st Virtual Computer

It is where I noticed Zoho, because the Word/Excel handing in G.ho.st is done by Zoho Writer and Zoho Sheets

If Google Docs are mainly for consumers, Zoho is for business.

Lifehacker made a comparison back in 2007

Now, both parties have been extensively developed. In Zoho, I see many many business things can be done completely online, in the cloud

Zoho even has a online testing system for education purpose: Zoho Challenge

Zoho Challenge is a powerful, feature-rich software that automates and streamlines online test creation, distribution and evaluation/scoring process. Zoho Challenge is ideal for Schools, Teachers, Coaching Centers and Organizations to quickly and efficiently administer tests for students, employees and candidates.

These two sites are really impressive. No wonder Steve said in the New York Times: "Zoho: Thriving Amid the Giants". Microsoft's Office Live is definitely late to the game ...

Let's back to Google's Chrome OS. When I tested it in Fusion, it was not that impressive, just a browser ... might because in the version I got, Short Links was not working. However, after my G.ho.st experience, I kind know why Google is building an operation system entirely relying on the Internet. With different web applications linked together, just like the Start menu in Windows, I can do almost everything in cloud.

The only thing I have concern now is, what we do without the NET ...

At the end, let me show you some impressive mobile phone experience with G.ho.st Lite