VirsoNet Team News Blog

I invite you to check out the new installation of phpBB3 on the VirsoNet Website! Originally, I installed phpBB2, but with the new RC5 recently launched, I just couldn’t resist to make the change. So what’s the big deal with phpBB3? The single biggest feature is the nice modern interface. PhpBB2 I found was very modular and squarish, while phpBB3 features nifty smooth corners, blended colors and overall a nice look and feel. The administration panel is also very impressive, and has about 5 times as many categories as the previous version. I also noticed a sizable speed increase on the new version of the forums, which is extremely helpful considering the slow server speeds.

In short, phpBB3 is a dream compared to phpBB2. There are some downsides, however. For example, there is still no Rich Text Editor for submitting posts/threads and sending PMs. In comparison, all other major forums such as Simple Machines and VBulletin include this. PhpBB3 also breaks all themes available for phpBB2, as well as all addons and fixes. There are currently very few addons extensions available for the RCs, while no extra styles even exist. This leaves me slightly disappointed, and I hope that this will change over the next year. Otherwise, I am greatly impressed with phpBB3, and look forward to the Final Release!

Today I discovered AjaxWindows on the web. I must say, from the designer point of view, this site is quite impressive. This is another great example at how powerful Ajax actually is. I did miss some “extras” though; right clicks didn’t always bring up menus, while the toolbars and menu bars lack customization. Also, the site relies on Java applets, which are a bit slow at initialising. Having said that, they do provide a nice overall look and feel.

So what is AjaxWindows? It is a Web Desktop, or just a WebTop for short. This idea is not original, as other WebTops already exist, including the popular Goowy. A WebTop provides a online operating system, which includes online applications or widgets, file storage, and personal user settings. In AjaxWindows, your “Desktop” includes icons with links to Google Docs, Zoho Writer, Google Maps and other popular internet locations. There is also a “Start Menu” similar to Windows, containing a list of your widgets and applications.

What is AjaxWindows’ purpose? I have to really doubt that AjaxWindows improves a user’s productivity. The online links to Google Apps and other applications simply open the url in a new browser window. It would be simpler to navigate to the url directly in my opinion. Also, I find that the combined JavaScript/Java effects are extremely hard on the CPU, and slow down my computer considerably. And finally, I don’t see the use of uploading files to AjaxWindows when many other websites offer the same feature with better integration and speed.

In Short, I think AjaxWindows, while interesting, is far from being useful. No user really needs an WebTop when sites like Google and Yahoo already integrate their online apps seamlessly together. This idea is simply surpassed by the advent of online office suites. Also, the popularity of laptops makes it unlikely that users will use many different computers, even when traveling. AjaxWindows simply offers too much with so little to make the experience worth the time or even effort to sign up. A reviewer who concurs with me can be found here.

Of course, I recommend that you form your own opinions on AjaxWindows. The site url is http://www.ajaxwindows.com/

Happy WebTopping!