Web OS Aims to Mimic Windows

A web applications company is hoping to legitimize the web operating system concept with the release of ajaxWindows, an application that behaves much like its Microsoft counterpart.

The OS acts as a centralized location for the various web services created by Ajax13. When running in full screen mode, any evidence of the underlying operating system is erased, and the Web OS itself becomes the desktop.

Ajax13's concept is apparently creating a lot of buzz: a message Tuesday morning on its Web site read "We are currently experiencing massive amounts of user registrations and traffic. Please check back with us in an hour."

Storage for the OS is done through GMail, Music files are stored on MP3Tunes, and any information can be synced with the user's own desktop through an included application.

The OS also supports widgets which allow the user to add small applications such as RSS feeds and games to the desktop. However, at this time, only ajaxWindows' own widgets are supported and not those of other platforms.

Links to other Web 2.0 offerings round out the OS, however, at present only the Ajax13-native applications will run within ajaxWindows. Other applications open a new browser window.

The idea of a web-based OS is nothing new: in fact, as early as 1999 companies were hawking the idea of bringing the user's desktop online. However, with the advent of dynamic web languages like AJAX, making them more responsive and more like an actual application has become much easier.