The Friend OS or the Friend Unifying Platform is an open sourcecloud operating system that aims to unify web applications and deliver an ecosystem for them to be used across all devices. FriendUP offers users a device agnostic computing environment accessible via the Friend Workspace, an HTML5 and Javascript based user interface where file management and applications can be run. or The project was started in 2014 by Friend Software Labs and they delivered their first open source version on Github in June 2017. They announced a partnership with the Golem project in November 2017. Friend will integrate their operating system environment into Golem’s distributed computing platform.
Overview
FriendUP is a multi-user meta operating system. Based on the Friend Core kernel, it is designed to be a complete operating system which will evolve and adapt with information and communication technologies. It employs a Blockchain based database structure for security, and is developed with decentralised flows of information in mind. FriendUP is designed to fit the Liquid Computing workflow concept by using a desktop environment and applications that can be accessed via a web browser without the need for any additional plugins, meaning it can run on any device, from a smartphone, to a high end workstation. It also fits the Web 4.0 outline of being a middleware where the Internet functions like an operating system. Where FriendUP enables more intuitive forms of resource management, or can be used between devices more easily. The term Web 4.0 itself is used to indicate another phase of the internet and World Wide Web — where humans and machines have a more symbiotic relationship. FriendUP fits within its framework, as well as future iterations of the Web, because it supports efficient and intelligent information flows.
Components
Friend Core
Friend Core is Friend's serving kernel. It behaves like a web server and operates as an operating system kernel for Friend applications. It also handles user sessions and resources that are available on the remote server. Friend Core is primarily written in C for speed, which allows it to handle requests on a 5Gcellular network with a 2ms response time.
Libraries
Some of Friend Core's functionality is implemented as runtime linked libraries. This allows for the exchanging of pluggable libraries while Friend Core is running. This provides advantages when sandboxing and handling decentralised data flows.
Modules
Friend Core is modular. The modules extend the system with any functionality required by applications on the server side. The modules can be written using many programming languages like Node/Javascript, PHP, Python, Perl or Java. The modules are user and group permission sensitive, allowing for various degrees of access control. Using a highly optimized core, time to first byte round trips are kept to a minimum.
File System Drivers
Friend Core provides a file system driverAPI that allows developers to build support for any file system or standards-based web resource using several programming languages. A DOS driver implements basic functions for reading and writing to various remote and cloud service disks such as Dropbox, Google Drive, SAMBA, and others.
Friend Workspace
The Friend Workspace is a fully featured desktop environment built using web technologies which allows it to run inside a web browser on any device that is web capable.
Applications
Friend runs a variety of applications both natively and via remote sessions.
Web Applications
FriendUP is compatible with web applications. As the OS is built using web technologies, applications hosted on the web can easily be executed inside the Friend Workspace.
Friend Applications
The Friend Workspace has its own set of APIs and protocols. Native Friend applications are fully integrated into the operating system and allow features such as pull down menus, managed windows and a range of GUI controls. They are localized therefore they operate much quicker than web hosted or Windows apps. Friend comes bundled with several applications including a native video, audio and text conferencing suite called Friend Chat.
Windows Applications
By routing through the Liberator application stack, a user can run Windows applications directly in the Friend Workspace, alongside Web and Friend applications. By integrating through the RDP protocol, the Windows applications act like they are native web applications. Users can perform functions such as transferring files from Friend disk drives directly into their your Windows applications as well as and copy and paste text from within the Friend Workspace.
Release history
V.1.0.0 - First public open source release. V.1.1.0 - Second public open source release. V.1.2.0 - Third public open source release.
