Virtual-OS

Virtual-OS is an open source web operating system or distributed web desktop developed by Advanced Webhosting Network that creates a shared virtual desktop environment on a remote server to promote collaboration, simplify content management and potentially reduce the effort associated with network installation.

Virtual-OS can integrate local network and external web resources to distribute the collective processing power and file storage of multiple web servers to produce a transparent composite application which further offsets end terminal processing requirements.

Features

System Operation

Some of its features are:

* Online / Offline AJAX
* DOS Style Console
* Multi-Server File Manager
* RSS Aggregator
* Script IDE / API
* Web Server Synchronization

Usergroup Integration

Compatible systems:

* Invision Power Board 2.2
* phpBB 2.0.22
* phpBB 3.0.5
* Simple Machines Forum 1.1.2
* vBulletin 3.6.5

Web 3.0

Alpha support for:

* Firefox 3 Optimization
* CSS3 Support
* Semantic Multicast
* SaaS Multitasking

Current Version

Virtual-OS utilizes compressed variants of the following clientside technologies:

* Prototype Javascript Framework 1.5.1
* Script.aculo.us 1.7.1
* Prototype Window Library 1.2.1

The open source software package was available via SourceForge.net under MIT style licensing although the current release has been isolated to closed beta trials after public reports (Dec 2006) of a security hole in the developer's implementation of the Prototype JavaScript Framework.

Recently (March, 2007) Advanced Webhosting Network partnered with a popular CMS developer to acquire stable user authentication, session management and a modular PHP framework to replace the faulty task manager.

A Community on High Alert

On Dec 2nd, 2006 "cyber-vandals" compromised Mothers Anonymous an online resource for parenting support and youth counseling in Mississauga via an exploit in a beta version of the Virtual-OS framework, the scandal quickly caught the attention of local press.

Mississauga News ran an article which attributed the faults in Virtual-OS to being responsible for the release of confidential information, which quickly quickly escalated to the point that Toronto CityNews issued a special report, dedicated to parent awareness of internet privacy, which briefly mentioned these events as a case in point.

A follow up press release announced that the Region of Peel Crime Prevention Services (CPS) had launched a campaign against "the potential dangers of the internet" at a local level in the wake of these recent events:

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On February 8th, 2007 the Canadian division of Advanced Webhosting Network was brought before the Region of Peel Review Board regarding the Virtual-OS application, after lengthy peer review the application was granted municipal approval under the condition that the developer continued to pursue enhanced security measures.

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