Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Specialty Hosting and Markets : Desktop-based Web hosting

[The Stealthy One]

First off, I want to apologize if this is the wrong section.

My question centers around an idea that's been brewing in my head for over a year now. Is there any possible future in a Web hosting service that is integrated with a user's desktop file system?

[Nunim]

Not sure what you mean, using a desktop as an FTP browser or something?

[Cirtex]

Well, was just reading about odesktop the other day, so here's the link: http://www.odesktop.net

I would say this is a step towards what you're questioning is possible here

Cheers

[Techark]

Not only possible but very likely.
Look at where google is heading with the ajax applications over the net. There is also another company working very hard on the same applications and more. They aim to have the full functionality of MS office ran over the net, you will need no software on your desktop other than a browser to do word apps, power point and excel.

They are about 50% there.
The entire desktop over the net is not that far behind.

[rghf]

The one problem people have with this idea is data security. They like their data to be on their PC's as its quicker to access and gives a sence of the data is safe. Having it all on a remote server can be a bit worrying especially for businesses. Do you want your customer database accessible by a hacker? I know I don't

[Techark]

Originally Posted by a2b2

The one problem people have with this idea is data security. They like their data to be on their PC's as its quicker to access and gives a sence of the data is safe. Having it all on a remote server can be a bit worrying especially for businesses. Do you want your customer database accessible by a hacker? I know I don't

But aren't you selling it now?

How is the take up so far?

[The Stealthy One]

No, I don't necessarily mean hosting data online. I've already run a small site doing that. What I mean is having a folder or drive on a system, where users can drag and drop Website files. Almost like a perpetual FTP system, integrated into their file system.

[andren]

Originally Posted by The Stealthy One

No, I don't necessarily mean hosting data online. I've already run a small site doing that. What I mean is having a folder or drive on a system, where users can drag and drop Website files. Almost like a perpetual FTP system, integrated into their file system.

If you use Linux: this program is called Konqueror.

[The Stealthy One]

True, but most folks don't use Linux. I want to create something for the everyday person. Back to my original question, is this feasible from a business perspective?

[IceCreamMan]

Windows has a feature like this... Just for file transfers through FTP though... Drag and drop and what not...

[Spyro]

Macs have been doing this same exact thing for quite some time, and I'm pretty sure every major OS can mount WebDav shares over the web.

As for business feasibility, yes it is feasible, but if you started up a service offering that no matter how good it was it would be copied pretty quickly because it is, unfortunately, not that difficult of a functionality to provide. Now a really neat emerging market is (as pointed out above) having an actual web desktop. Personally, I think that it is overrated as there are security concerns as well as internet accessibility concerns. What happens to your net desktop when you can't connect to the internet or something "goes wrong" in the system?

[Ultima VPS]

Aren't you talking about Remote Desktop here? I would say that this will basically replace the local desktop in a few years time with each person basically having their own VPS with OS etc online. For data security you could store it on a NAS etc.

The great advantage as has already been pointed out is that you won't need to purchase a PC or software. Just need a really good connection, monitor, keyboard and mouse etc and your off. MS are already gearing up with this scenario with their data center edition of Longhorn.

[Evolver]

Originally Posted by The Stealthy One

First off, I want to apologize if this is the wrong section.

My question centers around an idea that's been brewing in my head for over a year now. Is there any possible future in a Web hosting service that is integrated with a user's desktop file system?

FrontPage?
DreamWeaver?

There are others.

[xsis-host]

Hmm i think he is speaking of a compnent that users will be able to drag and drop their entire site in a specific dir locally and it in turn loads it to the hosting server with little or minimum user interation..but then again i may be wrong

[Shaw Networks]

Originally Posted by Cirtex

Well, was just reading about odesktop the other day, so here's the link: http://www.odesktop.net

I would say this is a step towards what you're questioning is possible here

Cheers

Yeah, I've been seeing their ads on WHT too, is anyone offering this service yet?