Recently, I received an invite to a beta of a new in-browser OS environment. If you’re not familiar with the idea, it’s a reasonably simple concept:

Create an entirely browser-based operating environment that is available from any computer with a supported browser (eventually, this should be expanded to any device that is able to reach the web, but this is probably still several years out) and a reasonable (better than dialup) Internet connection.

icloudOS is the latest of these implementations. Currently in private (invitation only) beta, icloudOS provides an in-browser operating environment that is startingly similar to that provided by some of the popular Linux distributions (the login screen looks and feels almost exactly like GDM), and also has a few design elements that call out to the Vista, and even OS-X crowds. My guess is that the idea behind the interface is to make it comfortable for as broad a user base as possible by adding little visual and functional touches (desktop items are double-click, etc) that will appeal to just about everyone.

Functionally, icloudOS has quite a bit to work on.  The interface is very slow to respond in many cases, and the login process takes quite some time. These are all pretty minor things that really become part of the fit and finish process, so I wouldn’t expect it to be as responsive as a ‘real’ desktop until well into the beta phase, when the system should be relatively feature-complete.

Overall, I think it’s a good first step, and I look forward to seeing what the development crew for icloudOS comes up with for the future.