Jolicloud
Encyclopedia
Joli OS is an Ubuntu
-based GNU/Linux operating system
developed by the company Jolicloud
. The operating system was itself called “Jolicloud” until version 1.2, when the company renamed it “Joli OS”. The product name “Jolicloud” now refers to a cloud
desktop for managing Web apps, files and services.
founder Tariq Krim. Krim originally wanted to build a laptop using environmentally-friendly manufacturing methods. He later refocused the effort on building an operating system, and was joined by two other developers, Romain Huet and Tristan Groléat. After purchasing a few netbooks and renewing their acquaintance with Linux, they rented office space in the Montorgueil area of Paris
. The alpha version was built with the help of "developers, kernel hackers and designers". Venture capital
firms Atomico Ventures and Mangrove Capital Partners have provided $4.2 million in funding.
Version 1.0 was released in July 2010 and version 1.1 was released on 7 December 2010. Version 1.2 was released on 9 March 2011.
, memory
, and screen size. Joli OS is now built on top of Ubuntu
with a customized kernel.
Joli OS was designed for easy installation, with Wi-Fi
, Bluetooth
, and 3G modem support all included. The operating system supports all the major netbooks, including models from Asus
, Acer, Dell
, HP, MSI
, Samsung
and Sony
. Jolicloud claims the OS supports 98% of netbooks with out-of-the-box compatibility but also works on a very large number of other devices, up to 10 years old: laptops, desktops and tablets.
Version 1.0 of the operating system incorporates a user interface built primarily with HTML5 that includes an application launcher, a library of compatible applications with one-click installation and removal, a display of all machines associated with a user account, and a social activity stream that enables users to compare installed applications. The launcher displays only those applications supported in the library, but the identical configuration can be viewed from any machine running Joli OS. Account management is available from any computer with an HTML5-compatible browser. Jolicloud's HTML5 implementation is through Google's Chromium
, which serves as middleware
for Web rendering.
blog, Mike Haney called Joli OS "an easy, free OS that you don't have to be a code-monkey to install and does everything you need your netbook to do, quickly. I put it on a Lenovo netbook this weekend that was running like molasses under Windows 7, and I'm a convert". While Joli OS is not the first operating system designed from Linux targeted at the beginning netbooks, "it's the first that doesn't feel like you're using Linux: no funky install procedures, no code, no accessing special directories to find more apps." He compared Joli OS in look and function to iOS, the operating system used by the Apple iPad
(as well as the iPhone
and iPod Touch
), though with the folders and files of a conventional computer".
In Computerworld
, Serdar Yegulalp wrote that Joli OS 1.0 "feels like a second beta, not a 1.0 release; it needs more work before it's truly useful instead of one step above a curiosity". Yegulalp reported problems launching some applications, including the Google Chrome
browser and the VLC media player
, an inability to do peer-to-peer mesh networking
, the power button getting blocked by open windows, and no hibernation mode, even if the computer supports it. He noted comparable performance with Windows 7 but slightly faster boot times. But ZDNet reporter David Meyer disagreed with that performance assessment after running Jolicloud on a Nokia Booklet 3G
in order to take advantage of that device's unusual 720p screen resolution. He wrote that the device's "lousy Atom Z530 processor...really struggles under Windows 7 Starter Edition [but] flies on Jolicloud....I'm struggling to think of a rival Linux distro that can be so easily picked up and run by an average user".
In Ars Technica
, Ryan Paul wrote that "there are a lot of good ideas on display in Jolicloud [now Joli OS] 1.0, but the nascent product still feels incomplete". He saw no reason for Linux users, particularly Ubuntu
users, to switch. "Ubuntu's own Unity environment is more sophisticated and has much better integration between native applications and the underlying platform," though Joli OS might be a better choice for users interested in Web applications. Noting that Joli OS 1.0's foundation is Ubuntu 9.04, which is nearing the end of its support cycle by Canonical
, Paul wrote that "the real challenge will be continuing to expand the scope of Joli OS's differentiating features while...ensuring that Jolicloud users will benefit from Ubuntu's steady stream of new features".
Tariq Krim defended the decision to stay with Ubuntu 9.04 in Joli OS 1.0, arguing that later Ubuntu versions have been less stable and have required user-initiated software installations to be fully functional. Examples where Jolicloud developers did additional work to ensure out-of-the-box functionality include support for Poulsbo GMA500 drivers, touchscreens and 3G
. He said the company was "moving away from Ubuntu to a solution that could fit our user needs better. We are looking closely at what Chrome OS is doing".
an app creation wizard, and a file browser to access local files, preview Dropbox files and edit using Google Docs.
, Firefox 4 (and later) and Safari
5 browsers, as well as the iPad
via an experimental HTML5 port. An Android app is slated for future development. In early March 2011 the Joli OS team, via their Facebook page, announced that they had reached 100,000 users on the Chrome Web Store
.
Ubuntu (operating system)
Ubuntu is a computer operating system based on the Debian Linux distribution and distributed as free and open source software. It is named after the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu...
-based GNU/Linux operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
developed by the company Jolicloud
Jolicloud
Joli OS is an Ubuntu-based GNU/Linux operating system developed by the company Jolicloud. The operating system was itself called “Jolicloud” until version 1.2, when the company renamed it “Joli OS”. The product name “Jolicloud” now refers to a cloud desktop for managing Web apps, files and...
. The operating system was itself called “Jolicloud” until version 1.2, when the company renamed it “Joli OS”. The product name “Jolicloud” now refers to a cloud
Cloud computing
Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility over a network ....
desktop for managing Web apps, files and services.
History
The project was launched in 2008 by NetvibesNetvibes
Netvibes is a personalized dashboard publishing platform for the Web including digital life management, widget distribution services and brand observation rooms.-History:The company was founded by Tariq Krim and Florent Frémont in 2005.-Technology:...
founder Tariq Krim. Krim originally wanted to build a laptop using environmentally-friendly manufacturing methods. He later refocused the effort on building an operating system, and was joined by two other developers, Romain Huet and Tristan Groléat. After purchasing a few netbooks and renewing their acquaintance with Linux, they rented office space in the Montorgueil area of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. The alpha version was built with the help of "developers, kernel hackers and designers". Venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
firms Atomico Ventures and Mangrove Capital Partners have provided $4.2 million in funding.
Version 1.0 was released in July 2010 and version 1.1 was released on 7 December 2010. Version 1.2 was released on 9 March 2011.
Design, hardware compatibility
Joli OS was at the beginning built on top of Ubuntu Netbook Edition, and as with that Linux distribution, was tweaked for netbooks and other computers with limited disk storageDisk storage
Disk storage or disc storage is a general category of storage mechanisms, in which data are digitally recorded by various electronic, magnetic, optical, or mechanical methods on a surface layer deposited of one or more planar, round and rotating disks...
, memory
Computer memory
In computing, memory refers to the physical devices used to store programs or data on a temporary or permanent basis for use in a computer or other digital electronic device. The term primary memory is used for the information in physical systems which are fast In computing, memory refers to the...
, and screen size. Joli OS is now built on top of Ubuntu
Ubuntu (operating system)
Ubuntu is a computer operating system based on the Debian Linux distribution and distributed as free and open source software. It is named after the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu...
with a customized kernel.
Joli OS was designed for easy installation, with Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
, Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
, and 3G modem support all included. The operating system supports all the major netbooks, including models from Asus
ASUS
ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated is a multinational computer technology and consumer electronics product manufacturer headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. Its product range includes motherboards, desktops, laptops, monitors, tablet PCs, servers and mobile phones...
, Acer, Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
, HP, MSI
Micro-Star International
Micro-Star International Co., Ltd is a Taiwan-based electronics company and one of the world's largest motherboard and video card manufacturers.-Overview:MSI is one of the top three motherboard and video card manufacturers worldwide...
, Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
and Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
. Jolicloud claims the OS supports 98% of netbooks with out-of-the-box compatibility but also works on a very large number of other devices, up to 10 years old: laptops, desktops and tablets.
Version 1.0 of the operating system incorporates a user interface built primarily with HTML5 that includes an application launcher, a library of compatible applications with one-click installation and removal, a display of all machines associated with a user account, and a social activity stream that enables users to compare installed applications. The launcher displays only those applications supported in the library, but the identical configuration can be viewed from any machine running Joli OS. Account management is available from any computer with an HTML5-compatible browser. Jolicloud's HTML5 implementation is through Google's Chromium
Chromium (web browser)
Chromium is the open source web browser project from which Google Chrome draws its source code. The project's hourly Chromium snapshots appear essentially similar to the latest builds of Google Chrome aside from the omission of certain Google additions, most noticeable among them: Google's...
, which serves as middleware
Middleware
Middleware is computer software that connects software components or people and their applications. The software consists of a set of services that allows multiple processes running on one or more machines to interact...
for Web rendering.
Version 1.0 reviews, response
Reviewers evaluating Joli OS have differed in their appraisals, depending on whether they are writing for a user who is new to Linux or is more experienced with the operating system. Writing on a Condé Nast TravelerCondé Nast Traveler
Condé Nast Traveler is a US magazine published by Condé Nast. It has its origins in a mailing sent out by the Diners Club club beginning in 1953, listing locations that would take the card. It began taking advertising in 1955. In order to attract more advertisers, it became a full-fledged magazine,...
blog, Mike Haney called Joli OS "an easy, free OS that you don't have to be a code-monkey to install and does everything you need your netbook to do, quickly. I put it on a Lenovo netbook this weekend that was running like molasses under Windows 7, and I'm a convert". While Joli OS is not the first operating system designed from Linux targeted at the beginning netbooks, "it's the first that doesn't feel like you're using Linux: no funky install procedures, no code, no accessing special directories to find more apps." He compared Joli OS in look and function to iOS, the operating system used by the Apple iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
(as well as the iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
and iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
), though with the folders and files of a conventional computer".
In Computerworld
Computerworld
Computerworld is an IT magazine that provides information for senior IT leaders. It is published in many countries around the world under the same or similar names. Its publisher is International Data Group. Computerworld serves the needs of IT management via print and online...
, Serdar Yegulalp wrote that Joli OS 1.0 "feels like a second beta, not a 1.0 release; it needs more work before it's truly useful instead of one step above a curiosity". Yegulalp reported problems launching some applications, including the Google Chrome
Google Chrome
Google Chrome is a web browser developed by Google that uses the WebKit layout engine. It was first released as a beta version for Microsoft Windows on September 2, 2008, and the public stable release was on December 11, 2008. The name is derived from the graphical user interface frame, or...
browser and the VLC media player
VLC media player
VLC media player is a free and open source media player and multimedia framework written by the VideoLAN project.VLC is a portable multimedia player, encoder, and streamer supporting many audio and video codecs and file formats as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. It is able to...
, an inability to do peer-to-peer mesh networking
Mesh networking
Mesh networking is a type of networking where each node must not only capture and disseminate its own data, but also serve as a relay for other nodes, that is, it must collaborate to propagate the data in the network....
, the power button getting blocked by open windows, and no hibernation mode, even if the computer supports it. He noted comparable performance with Windows 7 but slightly faster boot times. But ZDNet reporter David Meyer disagreed with that performance assessment after running Jolicloud on a Nokia Booklet 3G
Nokia Booklet 3G
The Nokia Booklet 3G is a netbook announced by the Finnish company Nokia on 24 August 2009.-History:The Booklet 3G is Nokia's first netbook. The company produced a series of personal computers in the 1980s called MikroMikko, but sold that business in 1991 to focus on mobile phone production...
in order to take advantage of that device's unusual 720p screen resolution. He wrote that the device's "lousy Atom Z530 processor...really struggles under Windows 7 Starter Edition [but] flies on Jolicloud....I'm struggling to think of a rival Linux distro that can be so easily picked up and run by an average user".
In Ars Technica
Ars Technica
Ars Technica is a technology news and information website created by Ken Fisher and Jon Stokes in 1998. It publishes news, reviews and guides on issues such as computer hardware and software, science, technology policy, and video games. Ars Technica is known for its features, long articles that go...
, Ryan Paul wrote that "there are a lot of good ideas on display in Jolicloud [now Joli OS] 1.0, but the nascent product still feels incomplete". He saw no reason for Linux users, particularly Ubuntu
Ubuntu (operating system)
Ubuntu is a computer operating system based on the Debian Linux distribution and distributed as free and open source software. It is named after the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu...
users, to switch. "Ubuntu's own Unity environment is more sophisticated and has much better integration between native applications and the underlying platform," though Joli OS might be a better choice for users interested in Web applications. Noting that Joli OS 1.0's foundation is Ubuntu 9.04, which is nearing the end of its support cycle by Canonical
Canonical Ltd.
Canonical Ltd. is a private company founded by South African entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth to market commercial support and related services for Ubuntu Linux and related projects. Canonical is registered in London and employs staff around the world...
, Paul wrote that "the real challenge will be continuing to expand the scope of Joli OS's differentiating features while...ensuring that Jolicloud users will benefit from Ubuntu's steady stream of new features".
Tariq Krim defended the decision to stay with Ubuntu 9.04 in Joli OS 1.0, arguing that later Ubuntu versions have been less stable and have required user-initiated software installations to be fully functional. Examples where Jolicloud developers did additional work to ensure out-of-the-box functionality include support for Poulsbo GMA500 drivers, touchscreens and 3G
3G
3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
. He said the company was "moving away from Ubuntu to a solution that could fit our user needs better. We are looking closely at what Chrome OS is doing".
Jolibook
Jolicloud officially announced on November 11, 2010 their first Jolicloud-branded computer called the Jolibook. Manufactured by UK-based Vye Computers, it's a 10.1-inch netbook using a dual core 1.5 GHz Intel Atom N550. It comes with 1GB RAM and a 250GB hard drive. The Jolibook also has a custom designed artwork on the lid that features the slogan "fast, fun, connected!". It started shipping November 22, 2010 in the UK for £280 via Shop.VyePC.com and Amazon.co.uk. As of February 2011 the company has not published any intention to distribute the device outside the UK. While Vye Computers has a dedicated website for the United States (vyeusa.com), the US site does not present the Jolibook. The Jolicloud team also hold competitions to win Jolibooks within the United Kingdom.Version 1.1
Jolicloud released version 1.1 in December 2010. The new version was based on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid), with future patches planned from 10.10 (Maverick). Among the improvements claimed by the company were faster boot times of 10–20 seconds on most devices tested, 15 percent battery life improvements (tested on a Clevo M1100 netbook with an Intel Atom N450 processor and a three-cell battery) and support for all PCs, not just netbooks.Version 1.2
Version 1.2 was announced in March 2011 and renamed Joli OS. The new version featured a new boot screen, auto and guest mode log-ins, a local file system integrated within the desktop, remote access to the desktop from any HTML5-capable browser, optional background updates, and support for the latest Chromium 10 browser and Flash 10.2. Version 1.2 also included Dropbox integration,an app creation wizard, and a file browser to access local files, preview Dropbox files and edit using Google Docs.
Jolicloud online desktop
With Joli OS version 1.2, Jolicloud officially decoupled its online desktop from its operating system. The Jolicloud desktop is compatible with the ChromeGoogle Chrome
Google Chrome is a web browser developed by Google that uses the WebKit layout engine. It was first released as a beta version for Microsoft Windows on September 2, 2008, and the public stable release was on December 11, 2008. The name is derived from the graphical user interface frame, or...
, Firefox 4 (and later) and Safari
Safari (web browser)
Safari is a web browser developed by Apple Inc. and included with the Mac OS X and iOS operating systems. First released as a public beta on January 7, 2003 on the company's Mac OS X operating system, it became Apple's default browser beginning with Mac OS X v10.3 "Panther". Safari is also the...
5 browsers, as well as the iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
via an experimental HTML5 port. An Android app is slated for future development. In early March 2011 the Joli OS team, via their Facebook page, announced that they had reached 100,000 users on the Chrome Web Store
Chrome Web Store
The Chrome Web Store is an online store from Google. It was announced at the Google I/O conference on May 19, 2010 by Vic Gundotra and released on December 6, 2010...
.
See also
- Comparison of netbook-oriented Linux distributionsComparison of netbook-oriented Linux distributionsNetbooks are small laptops, with screen sizes between approximately 7 and 12 inches and low power consumption. They use either an SSD or a hard disk for storage, have up to 2 gigabytes of RAM , lack an optical disk drive, and usually have USB, Ethernet, WiFi and often Bluetooth connectivity...
- EasyPeasy
- Google Chrome OSGoogle Chrome OSGoogle Chrome OS is a Linux-based operating system designed by Google to work exclusively with web applications. Google announced the operating system on July 7, 2009 and made it an open source project, called Chromium OS, that November....
- MeeGoMeeGoMeeGo is a Linux-based open source mobile operating system project. Primarily targeted at mobile devices and information appliances in the consumer electronics market, MeeGo is designed to act as an operating system for hardware platforms such as netbooks, entry-level desktops, nettops, tablet...
- CloudCloud (operating system)Cloud is a browser-based operating system created by Good OS LLC, a Los Angeles-based corporation. The company initially launched a Linux distribution called gOS which is heavily based on Ubuntu, now in its third incarnation.- Overview :...