If the Web is the platform, then Box is the file system
Today, we’re taking a very big step forward in that direction — we’re announcing OpenBox, a completely new way of thinking about what you can do with your data online.
Traditionally with desktop software, all of your local applications had access to the same set of files and data on your computer. The web changed this paradigm because each unique application stores information on its own servers. This has been mostly bearable because we’re using just a handful of web applications to manage and manipulate our data online. But each day, more and more powerful web applications are introduced into the ecosystem, and the problem will grow exponentially. How will you make sure the same document is available in your WebEx, Salesforce, Facebook, and Google accounts? What if you make a change to one of your documents in your Zoho account? Today, those changes won’t be reflected in your other services. However, with the launch of OpenBox, that’s all about to change.
And if that doesn’t excite you, a few of our super-handy launch services might do the trick. Today, you can fax any document in your Box account to any fax machine; edit your photos directly within your web browser; get documents signed digitally with EchoSign; and more. That’s all available right now, with the files you already have in your account.
OpenBox will launch with a select eight services (Autodesk, EchoSign, eFax, Myxer, Picnik, Scribd, Zazzle, Thinkfree and Zoho), then we will be opening up our developer interface to all developers and services on December 5th. (The delay before opening up to developers is to give us some time to finish the documentation and ensure a smooth, flexible and easy development process.) This is only the beginning, and with further development, your feedback and and more applications, OpenBox will surely reach the potential that we believe it has.
I’d also like to take this time to thank the whole Box team for putting in long hours to make this launch a reality. And a big thanks to our launch participants for making the web a much richer place. Try an OpenBox service today and let us know what you think.
Aaron, great job, this looks like a terrific next step for Box.net.
Why’s http://www.box.net/services/browse behind the login page?
We’ll definitely look into adding Approver.com to this list since we’re already supporting the Box.net widget (http://approver.com/info/help.aspx?Embedding_Widgets_in_Approver.com_Documents).
Cheers,
Jeffrey
November 13th, 2007 at 11:51 am
I love Zazzle integration!
November 13th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Box.net Release OpenBox - Integrates Zoho…
One of our API Partners Box.net announced OpenBox, a platform to integrate web apps into their online storage. They integrated Zoho into their platform for previewing and editing documents and spreadsheets online. Here are some screenshots…
We…
November 13th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Congratulations, this is a neat direction for web data storage.
It would be cool if your API or something like it became an open standard, so that consumers of web apps could choose from various providers such as yourselves who competed on price, stability, encryption, etc. Also people who were comfortable could run implementations on their home machines. I wrote a blog entry about a similar idea a while back: http://asargent.com/blog/archives/15.
November 13th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
[...] testing OpenBox [blog.box.net/?p=115]. Doesn’t work well with Wordpress.com blogs, formatting-wise. will try Twitter integration. Share This Post digg_url=’http://crrrg.com/testing-openbox-httpblogb/’; digg_skin = ‘compact’; digg_bgcolor = ‘#FFFFFF’; digg_title = ‘testing OpenBox [http://blog.b...'; digg_bodytext = ''; digg_topic = ''; Powered by Gregarious (42) [...]
November 13th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
[...] Box.net Blog » If the Web is the platform, then Box is the file system (tags: onlinestorage box) [...]
November 13th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
Hello,
I know this is not a right place, but I could not find any developers community. Do I understand correctly, there is no way for desktop software to login to openBox without user interaction, with stored name\passsword?
November 14th, 2007 at 8:58 am
[...] By the same logic I find Box.net’s Openbox a significant move: it allows to store one’s files online, while making it really easy to use a range of services, initially including Autodesk, Echosign, eFax, Myxer, Picnik, Scribd, Snipshot, Thinkfree, Twitter, Zazzle and Zoho on those files. There will be users who prefer the All-in-one concept, and they will likely settle on Google (bigger brand) or Zoho (more and better apps), but others will prefer picking their individual services, and for those Openbox is a good platform. Choice is good. [...]
November 14th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
[...] OpenBox: The Launchpad On Tuesday, Box.net has announced OpenBox, allowing their users the ability to open any sort of file - music, office and more - in various different web services. I had the opportunity to speak with Box.net CEO Aaron Levie, who called the announcement a “complete 180″ from their earlier widget strategy. Levie also blogged about the new announcement on the Box.net blog.The new service finally makes Box.net the launchpad for users, allowing them to store all their data in one place and edit it using a variety of applications. Users can post photos to their blogs, edit photos with Picnik or Snipshot, edit documents with ThinkFree or Zoho, or do various other things. Launch partners include Autodesk’s Freewheel, Echosign, eFax, Myxer, Picnik, Scribd, Snipshot, ThinkFree, Twitter, Zazzle, and Zoho. [...]
November 16th, 2007 at 5:25 am