| Since the guys aren't really keeping track of the articles written about them, I thought I'd start keeping track for them.
http://www.forbes.com/2006/09/07/web-based-resources-cx_bn_0907smallbizresource.html
Webtops
The Winners: Pageflakes and YouOS
I went back and forth trying to decide between Pageflakes and YouOS,
and in the end, I decided that they both rate as winners in this
category.
That
is, if this category can be said to have any winners. Ajax-based
webtops basically act as backdrops for a bunch of applets, such as RSS
feed readers, chat engines, blogs, photo organizers and so on. They are
a lot of fun to play with, but whether they are actually useful is
still in question.
Pageflakes: (Click here for image.)
If I were going to use an Ajax desktop, Pageflakes is the one I'd pick.
To begin with, Pageflakes has the most interesting and useful types of
applets (which it calls Flakes) and the widest variety: Besides
offering a very easy way to link to various popular RSS feeds, the
service lets you add the "Funny Quote of the Day" and TV listings; use
a movie finder that hooks into IMDB.com; chat live using the Pageflakes
chat engine (which is actually not very useful, since you can only chat
with other Pageflakes users); write notes; check the weather; keep
to-do and contact lists ... There's even a link to a simple Alexa graph
that lets you monitor the traffic of up to five Web sites. As of this
writing, there were 98 Flakes you could choose from.
The
interface is useful as well: You can organize your Flakes into separate
tabbed pages and easily move them from one page to the next. You can
even share pages with friends. Pageflakes obviously had a lot of
thought that went into it--and it shows.
YouOS: (Click here for image.)
The developers of YouOS call their webtop a "web operating system,"
which is catchy but not terribly accurate. The reason? They not only
invite their users to contribute their own applets (here called
"Apps"), but provide the development environment as well. All you have
to do is click the "Develop Apps" button and you're provided with a
text window, a syntax checker, a compiler--everything you need. In
other words, YouOS isn't a simple webtop site as much as it is an
educational tool for users who want to develop their JavaScript
programming skills.
Meanwhile,
YouOS is doing a nice job of building an Ajax-based environment that,
unlike Pageflakes, does its best to look like a real desktop--it
includes a snazzy desktop graphic and Windows-like icons. Live
applications are listed along the top of the window, which I found
confusing, since I've become used to looking for tabbed pages there.
Your list of available Apps and other features can be found in a
drop-down menu labeled "Stuff."
As of last count, there were
119 Apps available, many built by YouOS fans--as a result, while there
are some highly useful and entertaining entries, including encryption
programs, e-mail and chat Apps, and games, the count also includes Apps
such as the one called "The Best Messege!" [sic] that offers a single
inspirational text message.
YouOS is obviously in the development
stage. However, any application that invites its users to participate
to this extent deserves attention.
The Runner-Up: Goowy (Click here for image.)
Goowy is an interesting combination of office suite and webtop. It
offers a simple, well-designed interface--features are accessible by
icons on the bottom right of the screen. It includes a contact list,
calendar, e-mail app (that, unlike the one in YouOS, can send and
receive e-mails from outside the environment), instant messaging and a
variety of widgets (which it calls Minis).
Most
of the Minis are very beta: I was unable to sign in to the instant
messaging, for example, and had some problems importing my contact
list. However, the makers of Goowy are obviously thinking very hard
about their interface and their offering. It will be interesting to see
how this one develops.
Also Available:
Protopage: This is the webtop for the artistic personality.
Protopage only offers a short list of widgets, but it lets you design
your own environment, including access to a variety of configurable
color schemes and the choice of either lining up your various boxes or
just placing them wherever you like (including, if you want,
overlapped). Not all that useful, but very enjoyable.
Windows Live: The corporate version of the webtop, brought to
you by Microsoft. Tabbed pages give you access to news feeds, weather,
your Hotmail account, stock quotes and a variety of applets, here
called Gadgets. There's some useful stuff, but Microsoft is obviously
playing it safe.
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