Flash based full feature online desktop - desktoptwo

The first of my 100 Flex ideas brought us a goody, DesktopTwo. 

It’s not a Flex but a pure Flash based web desktop, same as Goowy, another Flash based web desktop. But the similarity stops here. If Goowy comes out to mimic Mac, DesktopTwo is more on the Windows side, in terms of UI and usebility.

DesktopTwo does very good mesh-up job so that it provides richer set of tools to become a more complete web desktop environment.

DesktopTwo comes with full integration with OpenOffice tools, including Word Processor, Spreadsheet, Presentation and Sketch Pad. From my testing, the integration is seamless. After creating and editing a document, the file can be saved directly to your “Hard Drive”. Of cause, since it’s java based OpenOffice tool set, you need enable Java Plugin to allow it’s running.

The email client works like Outlook Express. The IM allows you use MSN messenger. Nothing complains here. The MP3 player works great too. It allows you download mp3 file directly into you Hard Drive, where you have 1GB space from the free account. Sweet.

Now, the Hard Drive. Open it up and you get a almost a Windows File Explorer so that PC user can immediately work on it, creating folders, moving files around, etc. The best part, Share, where you can share you file with other user and start collaborating. This Share function certainly bring DesktopTwo to a whole different level, where cost sensitive business can take good advantage of this desktop environment.

There are other functions and tools worth mentioning but I’ll leave them to you to explore.

How they could move forward from here? Here are some suggestions (Since it’s only version 0.7 beta, I’m sure they are working on some).

• API - to create eco system that sustain Desktop’s business model, whatever it is, they need create or open up API to allow developers create application, widgets, or other goodies to be able to installed. Desktop did good job integrating with other tools, they might as well open the integration API so that further mesh-up can be done from the crowd.
• Database - either integrate or build online database and open up database access API. Be able to processing data is the turning point toward business application platform from office tool platform.
• Collaboration - tools such as Wiki could be a good starter.

There are more DesktopTwo can do, I can’t wait to see what they will release next. But before that, let use it and promot it.