Handy Cloud Applications and Web Based Services Make My Migrations Much Easier

I move between computers and OS’s fairly regularly. I’ve started using a few really handy web-based applications to make the moves as painless as possible and without having a long downtime when I choose to install a different Linux distro or Windows 7 as the pre-release versions drip out from Microsoft.

As I’ve added these apps, I’m finding that I can move pretty quickly to a new setup very quickly now. Here are the ones I’ve found so far to be the most handy.

Free:

Office applications, email, calendaring.

Google Mail, Docs, Calendar http://google.com

File storage, free up to 2GB. It’s easy to set up and use.

Great note-taking, pasting functions. This is quickly becoming my memory. In fact, I wrote this blog post in Evernote.

Firefox plug-ins:

Xmarks - syncs your bookmarks and passwords

Delicious – I still use Delicious to go across browsers to bookmark links.

Not Free (for full versions):

Google Apps http://google.com/a I really like Google Apps. They do nearly everything I need on a normal basis.

Carbonite www.carbonite.com All my critical files are automatically backed up and updated every day. I don’t even think about it anymore.

I’m sure I’ll add more to this list and some may be replaced eventually since that’s the nature of our business.

Microsoft MDOP Virtualization Licensing Reflects their Software as a Service Support

Microsoft is adding software as a service (SaaS) licensing to encourage Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) virtualization adoption.  This licensing arrangement supports the idea of a future of JeOS’s (Just Enough Operating Systems) with single applications running as virtual machines on hypervisors. 

 

App-V 4.5 will also feature a new Service Providers License Agreement (SPLA), officially called Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 Hosting for Desktops, which will enable service providers to use App-V 4.5 to deliver third-party ISV developed applications to customers via [Read more...]