Comments on: Working Offline http://itredux.com/2006/07/04/working-offline/ New Rules for a New IT World Sat, 10 Dec 2011 03:24:58 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Zoli’s Blog http://itredux.com/2006/07/04/working-offline/comment-page-1/#comment-275531 Zoli’s Blog Fri, 27 Jul 2007 15:47:04 +0000 http://itredux.com/blog/2006/07/04/working-offline/#comment-275531 [...] So where are we? Performance issues, overload of patches, need to become one’s IT support: these are all signs of a failed model: installing and updating software on the desktop. Businesses are increasingly recognizing this and are turning to SaaS, and I feel we’ve reached the threshold where it will become more and more attractive for individual users, too. I’m not a religious SaaS believer though. It’s nice to see even the absolute Office 2.0 proponents to have come around and realize the importance of offline access. Seamless computing for a while will require online/offline access. [...] […] So where are we? Performance issues, overload of patches, need to become one’s IT support: these are all signs of a failed model: installing and updating software on the desktop. Businesses are increasingly recognizing this and are turning to SaaS, and I feel we’ve reached the threshold where it will become more and more attractive for individual users, too. I’m not a religious SaaS believer though. It’s nice to see even the absolute Office 2.0 proponents to have come around and realize the importance of offline access. Seamless computing for a while will require online/offline access. […]

]]> By: Alan Rein http://itredux.com/2006/07/04/working-offline/comment-page-1/#comment-5443 Alan Rein Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:01:23 +0000 http://itredux.com/blog/2006/07/04/working-offline/#comment-5443 Offline storage has been in the skunkworks of the next generation Web for quite some time now. The most well-known of these is the <a href="http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Storage" rel="nofollow">Mozilla Storage</a> project that is due with Firefox 2.0, now available as Beta to replace the current storage system of the browser, but enables <a href="http://www.sqlite.org/">SQLite</a> for other purposes as well. The ones who do not have such an intimate relationship with Firefox may use a nifty workaround using Flash called <a href="http://codinginparadise.org/projects/storage/README.html">AMASS</a> and visit <a href="http://codinginparadise.org/weblog/2006/04/now-in-browser-near-you-offline-access.html" rel="nofollow">Brad Neuberg's blog</a> or <a href="http://blog.monstuff.com/archives/000272.html" rel="nofollow">Julien Couvreur's ideas</a>. Also Dan Bricklin with his <a href="http://www.softwaregarden.com/wkcalpha/" rel="nofollow">WikiCalc</a> has implemented the concept of offline editing quite nicely in his web-based spreadsheet app. Add to it <a href="http://www.morfik.com/" rel="nofollow">Morfik</a> that has a built-in embedded database (<a href="http://www.firebirdsql.org/">Firebird</a>, the ex-Interbase) on the client side and you have a pretty good choice of technologies to start from. Offline storage has been in the skunkworks of the next generation Web for quite some time now.

The most well-known of these is the Mozilla Storage project that is due with Firefox 2.0, now available as Beta to replace the current storage system of the browser, but enables SQLite for other purposes as well.

The ones who do not have such an intimate relationship with Firefox may use a nifty workaround using Flash called AMASS and visit Brad Neuberg’s blog or Julien Couvreur’s ideas.

Also Dan Bricklin with his WikiCalc has implemented the concept of offline editing quite nicely in his web-based spreadsheet app.

Add to it Morfik that has a built-in embedded database (Firebird, the ex-Interbase) on the client side and you have a pretty good choice of technologies to start from.

]]> By: Elly Phillips http://itredux.com/2006/07/04/working-offline/comment-page-1/#comment-5425 Elly Phillips Tue, 11 Jul 2006 20:55:37 +0000 http://itredux.com/blog/2006/07/04/working-offline/#comment-5425 U3 smart flash drives are not generally higher priced (at least in the US), and are sometimes even cheaper than non-U3 drives. I've been told that this isn't the case in other countries, so I can't comment on that. -Elly U3 smart flash drives are not generally higher priced (at least in the US), and are sometimes even cheaper than non-U3 drives. I’ve been told that this isn’t the case in other countries, so I can’t comment on that.

-Elly

]]> By: Myles A. Braithwaite http://itredux.com/2006/07/04/working-offline/comment-page-1/#comment-5422 Myles A. Braithwaite Tue, 11 Jul 2006 17:34:08 +0000 http://itredux.com/blog/2006/07/04/working-offline/#comment-5422 Currently at my work we have an online Project Manager/CRM, which is great until I have no Internet access, such as on an airplane, train, or some clients. I have overcome this by developing a simple Java desktop application that downloads all projects I am currently working on. But this still require me to have a laptop or desktop. <a href="http://ecto.kung-foo.tv/">Ecto</a> is a blog application for Mac OS X. <a href="http://wbloggar.com/" rel="nofollow">w.bloggar</a> is a Windows one. Currently at my work we have an online Project Manager/CRM, which is great until I have no Internet access, such as on an airplane, train, or some clients. I have overcome this by developing a simple Java desktop application that downloads all projects I am currently working on. But this still require me to have a laptop or desktop.

Ecto is a blog application for Mac OS X. w.bloggar is a Windows one.

]]> By: Ismael Ghalimi http://itredux.com/2006/07/04/working-offline/comment-page-1/#comment-5421 Ismael Ghalimi Tue, 11 Jul 2006 17:23:53 +0000 http://itredux.com/blog/2006/07/04/working-offline/#comment-5421 Ecto? Ecto?

]]> By: Dennis Howlett http://itredux.com/2006/07/04/working-offline/comment-page-1/#comment-5420 Dennis Howlett Tue, 11 Jul 2006 17:11:25 +0000 http://itredux.com/blog/2006/07/04/working-offline/#comment-5420 Ecto will allow you to work and save offline. Ecto will allow you to work and save offline.

]]> By: Ryan Armasu http://itredux.com/2006/07/04/working-offline/comment-page-1/#comment-5393 Ryan Armasu Tue, 11 Jul 2006 04:26:26 +0000 http://itredux.com/blog/2006/07/04/working-offline/#comment-5393 Ismael, I use a <a href="http://www.smartdisk.com/eWeb/smartdiskus/www/staticpages/fireflyultraporthdd.asp">SmartDisk Firefly</a> ultraportable 20GB hard drive -- believe me, it's small -- packed with <a href="http://www.portableapps.com">portable apps</a> like OpenOffice.org. I also use a Linux VM (can't remember the source right now, but I'll look for it). This way I have a very portable offline alternative. I guess you can also use a <a href="http://www.sandisk.com/Products/Default.aspx?CatID=1065">SanDisk Cruzer</a> mini drive for the same purpose, depending on how many files you need to carry with you. I have mixed feelings about <a href="http://www.u3.com/">U3</a>, since it seems to me one can get all that's needed on the Internet without paying the seemingly higher price for a U3 drive. -Ryan Ismael,

I use a SmartDisk Firefly ultraportable 20GB hard drive — believe me, it’s small — packed with portable apps like OpenOffice.org. I also use a Linux VM (can’t remember the source right now, but I’ll look for it). This way I have a very portable offline alternative. I guess you can also use a SanDisk Cruzer mini drive for the same purpose, depending on how many files you need to carry with you. I have mixed feelings about U3, since it seems to me one can get all that’s needed on the Internet without paying the seemingly higher price for a U3 drive.

-Ryan

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