smr’s blog

In past few days i was thinking and reading and listening about WebOS. How it will be, how it should be and what are the opportunities in WebOS.

And today after Google Reader is released, and I am impressed by its interface… i am thinking “how far are we from WebOS”.

What is WebOS?
WebOS is “an Operating System based on the Web”. We call it OS, but it doesnt directly deal with hardware, and only limits itself to provide interface. It will run through something like a Web Browser. WebOS is a foundation upon which Web Application Softwares (WebAppS) will run.

myWebOS
Lets first analyze todays Web. There are various services offered on net. Like email, file-sharing, chating, text editing, image editing, music and video playing etc. But they are located at different places, and therefor cannot be conveniently called WebOS. But if i create a simple html page (mywebos.html) and give links to all these services from there… i have created the simplest WebOS. After all our normal OS too does the same thing.. allow us to use different softwares. And in case of Web these softwares become Web Services or WebAppS.
But there will be a very serious problem with myWebOS. User will need to login on every web service, and there will be no data sharing between different WebAppS, as each one of them will have different environment. As bas as logging in to every software (on PC) before using it, and every software having its own filesystem. And this is what WebOS should solve.
More than mywebos.html, i find web browser more closer to WebOS. Loads different pages on single click (though BookMark Toolbar), automatically do the login process (Remember Password), and provides an environment to all applications. And the problem i find here is that the environment is on my PC, which should instead be on a server, and login process in still not seamless.

How do I see the WebOS
A foundation upon which WebApps will run.
I will need to login to enter into the WebOS, as i do in my PC. And after logging in, i will have access to many applications. From emailing to audio/video processing. And i will need to pay as i use a service. Something similar to Reliance RWorld service in India. Applications can be ‘Free’, ‘Pay as you use’, ‘Membership access’, etc. That is i will pay for video editing only if i will use it, and i will pay a small amount, proportional to the duration (any other parameter) i use it for. I will not need to buy a full product for one time use anymore. A few basic applications (like email) will be provided free. The WebOS will take care of all payments and generate my periodic bill.
The WebOS can be free for the user and the revenues can come from the payments for access of a paid service (a fraction of it, while the rest of the it will go to the service provider), and from advertisements.

WebOS working…
Now as i am little bit clear what the WebOS should do, lets analyze WebOS in more detail.
WebOS provides a basic interface of session management. It should keep my files on its server, and allow my applications to access my files on my request. Copying a WebAppS on the server will allow any user to access that application, or instead can be used from a know path. The WebAppS in itself can do any complex or simple work, with a nice interface.
The issue here is that the WebAppS should be WebOS complaint. If WebOS allows anyone to create WebAppS for it, ie keeping open standards, people will be able to develop WebAppS for this WebOS, and thus increase the applications provided on the WebOS.

With time probably multiple WebOSes will emerge and will become Windows and Machintosh of WebOS. And multiple WebAppS companies will emerge and will become the Microsoft and Adobe for WebAppS. There will be a need to port many of the existing applications to WebOS. With WebOS becoming more stronger, we will probably don’t need a bulky OS like Windows or GNU/Linux and will use a embedded browser, and thus will give birth to new Apple and IBM for WebOS PC (Thin Clients).

So the WebOS creates a new market, where there are lots of opportunities. From developing the WebOS to developing WebAppS to WebOS PCs.

^[0] 0.1h means 0.1 Hypothesis

Related Links -
* WebOS - another view
* webos.com - a try
* www.konfabulator.com - another try
* Novatium - A WebOS PC initiative
* Web 2.0

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 9th, 2005 at 6:00 am and is filed under entrepreneurship. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.