Caught between Apple and Windows for your operating system? How about neither?
Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, has developed an experimental Cloud-based operating system called TransOS, that allows you to run your desktop off the internet, bypassing the need for a traditional OS.
TransOS runs on remote servers and treats operating systems like Windows as a resource that can be streamed to a laptop. Your computer would require only an internet connection and the basic software to start it up in order to run this new OS, which would render computers effectively ‘dumb terminals’.
TransOS runs independently of hardware and operating systems, and so can be run from practically any computer that has an internet connection. This is useful for travellers who can’t find it in them to lug their desktop or laptop halfway round the world with them.
It is also faster than traditional operating systems as it only uses the parts of the OS that are required at any given time, allowing it to work well on both low and high-powered computers.
It is also able to be updated automatically, saving you precious time on software and systems maintenance (a relief for those who do so grudgingly or not at all). Additionally, if your files and documents are stored in the Cloud, you can access and use them anywhere in the world with a network connection, so you are no longer tied to a single device.
The downside to using this OS is the need for a constant internet connection in order to function. For those of us who have experienced the frustration behind a fluctuating internet connection, this would be a major turnoff. Using a traditional OS, files and documents are readily available, but if they are stored on the Cloud along with your desktop you better make sure your internet connection is top-notch first.