- Application and browse mode feature.
- An user-friendly and improved UI(user interface) for handling web applications.
- Abstracts the operating system.
- Central repository to store data and configuration details.
- Customizable application.
- Synchronization with other web applications and platform.
- Single signon
Let me elaborate on each point:
Two Modes:
Gimbalz has two modes, one is the application mode and another is the browse mode.
Browser mode has all the traditional features found in firefox with some essential changes. In browser mode one can enter URL to view web pages and to test new web applications. Near that location bar you will also have a button to add web application to your menu in application mode. This way you can test your applications in browser mode and dock it to the application mode.
Application mode has a menu with categories. The widely used application can be found on top of each category.
UI(User Interface):
The traditional browser is not designed while web applications were around. So the needs of an web applications are not met by a supportive UI.
The following features in the browser UI can be improved or done away with:
The ‘forward’ and ‘back’ buttons are a classic example of archaic browser design. Web applications like desktop applications will provide means inside itself to navigate properly.
These forward and back will only confuse a normal user when accessing web application. He might be misled to treat the web application also as a collection of pages.
Normally a web application is usable only if its loaded entirely onto browser. But web pages can be read even if its not fully loaded. The ‘stop’ button is only useful for web pages and not suitable for web applications.
‘Refresh’ button normally reloads a page but whereas in web applications it will take you to the initial screen of the application. It is similar to reloading the application.
The four buttons along with location bar will not be present in application mode. Since these are actually not needed while you access web application.
Location Bar:
To view web pages we normally use the location bar. But do we need a similar method for accessing a web application. In an operating system we dont access application by typing its name or location. All the applications are grouped in categorized menu, so its really for us to access the application. Like an operating system in gimbalz you have this provision to access your applications from menus, so you dont need to type the URL everytime to access your favourite applications.
Web browsers have bookmarks facility but that facility has varied limitations and thats been discussed in the next sub-section.
If we remove the location bar its not possible to browse and test new application or we wont be able to access any new pages. So the location bar will not be present in application mode only.
Bookmarks:
Bookmarks might resemble similar to the menu system in gimbalz but its a far better solution compared to bookmarks.
Bookmarks are not as widely used as operating system menus for many reasons. The operating system menus are grouped with categories so its easier for oneself to use it often. The bookmarks requires a user to create categories and which no one effectively does.
Bookmarks is considered to be one which is used for remembering certain pages and not seen as everyday purpose utility.
The bookmark can be a justified solution for web pages but unlike the numerous web pages we visit normally, the number of web applications we use may be limited. So its a better solution to group applications in a categorized menu for web applications. Grouping application in categories also make it easier for lauching necessary web application to handle requests like sending mail.
Bookmarks facility is done away with in the application mode for a better menu based application access.
Addon toolbars:
Addon toolbars take away necessary space needed to work with web application. Addon toolbars are very detrimental to the developers, they dont know the exact space a web browser is occupying and its not a good way to provide access to certain features.
Gimbalz will have a desk space, menu, etc like you have in OS. Web applications can dock to it and with CSS the layout can be moved around.
History:
The history feature in the browser is done away with in application mode. All the recently accesses application can be found in the menu itself.
Abstract Operating System:
Web browsers normally depend heavily on desktop applications. For example if we click on an email id in a web page, our desktop mail client is launched. Why do we need desktop application to be used for all the purpose, it would be more convenient if an web based application is launched to handle the request.
How convenient it would be if a popup asks you for your work or personal mail web application to be lauched to handle the request.
Gimbalz also features semantic and web service extensions. Say for example telephone numbers format of India, FEDEX numbers, etc. So when you browse or when you use your web application, semantics are interpreted and relevant web application is launched to handle the request or web service is called to process the information.
This would make this application usage to be universal. I dont need to worry about in which OS im working in or which applications are installed in the machine. In future this kind of application can be found in gadgets also. Connect to the internet and dont worry about anything else.
This is an advanced form of mashup with endless possiblities. API adherence in future will be a better solution for semantics in future.
Central Storage:
Web applications are becoming the increasing trend. We start to use lot of remote web applications which stores data in remote server or in local storage medium.
Your personal/work data is getting stored in distributed locations. Gimbalz will provide a central storage option with tagging feature and so instead of saving the file in your local medium you can store it in your central storage location.
In this way all the data from your distributed applications can be grouped to a single location. Locating files inside the repository is made easy by the use of tags.
Every user of gimbalz will have a user profile. He would be logging into gimbalz in that profile. So what ever preferences and extensions you have applied to gimbalz will be available in central location. So even if you are away from your personal computer, you can access your same configuration of gimbalz application on a remote machine by just logging into your profile.
Portable apps.com’s service also provides an viable solution, which can be provided to the user as an addon feature.
Customizable:
Similar to firefox users can install extensions, semantics, plugins and themes can be installed. This feature will enable lot of offline applications to be launched within gimbalz to avoid using desktop applications. Lot of features and tweaks can be added to extend gimbalz.
Desk area, menu and other features provided in OS can be found in gimbalz application mode. A web application can attach itself to the platform. The desk area is planned like the mezzo desktop environment for better UI. A simple CSS can move around things for user convinience.
The freedom of choice is what makes an operating system a joy to use. Gimbalz wont be any different.
Synchronization:
With the help of semantic based mashups, client-side web service scripts, web application resources and central repository will make application synchronize better with other web applications as well as with the gimbalz platform.
Although the aim of gimbalz is to provide synchronization in the form of providing a well defined API just like an operating system provides to interface with it properly and use its services. Although in the initial beta release its not possible for other web application developers to adhere to the API.
Initial beta release of gimbalz will feature in-house application grouping, mashup scripts with sematics support. This would make the user feel better synchronization among web applications and better integration with the platform without the web application developers effort. But still the API will be developed and documented so that when beta release is made and when people see the functional benefits many will start to adhere to the API for registering their application, services and for utilizing the features of gimbalz. Since this application is a new genre, we are in a better position to create a API which all the web application developers will follow in future.
The API planned for development wont make web application development harder. Its just a simple API for web applications to register themselves in application category and request certain features from the platform.
Single-Signon:
Its quite possible to bring single signon a reality. Thats a long time away but still possible with gimbalz.
But even without external authorization or certication authority, gimbalz can bring in the ease of single signon by authenticating the user to the web applications he uses when he authenticates his profile.
