Yahoo Wednesday became the latest company to provide developers with the opportunity to build rich Internet applications with some desktop functions with its unveiling of a preview version of a new offering called BrowserPlus.
The software, which in this so-called "sneak peek" release only works on Yahoo sites, helps developers build applications that allow users to do things like drag and drop from the desktop, easily upload files and receive native desktop notifications while inside the browser, Yahoo said. Yahoo said the preview version, which was developed by a small team over the past year, will let it gain input from developers.
The final version of the software will support any Web site, Yahoo said. It did not say when the final version of BrowserPlus will be available.
The most unique feature of the software, according to Yahoo, allows users to add new services without having to restart a browser or reload a page. "For users, this means no more interruptions or installers to run," Yahoo said in a blog post. "We handle the complexity of software distribution and updates. For developers, it means you can check for and activate new services with a single function call (pending user approval, of course). BrowserPlus is dynamic, allowing us to implement the standards of tomorrow while enabling fun and playful web applications along the way.
Yahoo said all updates are signed and verified by Yahoo so users can trust that they're are authentic. Updates are never applied without a user's approval. BrowserPlus will never let sites access a user's data or resources unless the user approves. If a security issues is found in a service on the Web, Yahoo said it can quickly deactivate that service so it can't be exploited.
As for performance, BrowserPlus runs separately from the browser so that Yahoo can minimize the performance impact and shut down the software when it is not needed. As a result, the software is unlikely to affect speed or stability of daily browsing, Yahoo said.
The new yahoo tool will compete with other recently unveiled offerings, including Microsoft's Silverlight, Adobe Systems's Adobe Integrated Runtime, or AIR, and Prism from the Mozilla Foundation.
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Computerworld Live Podcast #97: The Future of Enterprise Networking 25/07/2008 09:45:36
This week CW Live chats with Mark Thompson, global sales and marketing manager for HP ProCurve, on the future of the enterprise networking. Mark discusses the trends we can expect to see in the near future and how the right infrastructure can ensure your enterprise network is secure. - +
Computerworld Live Podcast #96: Security at the Edge 11/06/2008 09:22:22
CW Live speaks with Amol Mitra, HP ProCurve Director of Marketing for Asia Pacific and Japan. Today's topic: how enterprises are starting to shift away from simply controlling security via server logins, firewalls and moving to more adaptive security frameworks. - +
Data Management Edition #10: Multi-Petascale Systems 02/05/2008 09:12:33
This week we look at sustainability and the development of multicore technologies to build multi-petascale systems. - +
IT Security Edition #11: How to poison the Storm botnet 01/05/2008 08:51:55
This week CW Live presents a case study on how to poison the notorious Storm botnet . Plus we take a look at Cisco's plans for Ironport. - +
IT Security Edition #10: Cyber-battles fought and won 24/04/2008 11:09:47
Vendors bow to end user pressure to improve product security, and we take a look at the latest concepts shaping the cyber-battlefield of the future.
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AOC Launches 18.5” Widescreen Green 16:9 LCD Monitor in Australia and New Zealand 2008-12-03 15:30:00+11
Delivering the Power of Choice with Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Join Ed Thompson, Research VP, featured analyst firm, Gartner, Inc., and Brad Wilson, General Manager CRM Microsoft Dynamics, for a new webcast, Delivering the Power of Choice with Microsoft Dynamics CRM, available now. Our panel will break down the best practices for getting the most out of CRM and you'll learn key recommendations you can implement in your organization. Additionally, you'll also hear Microsoft's vision for CRM.
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