A cloud desktop that centralises your digital life, enabling access to everything from any location.
eyeOS was a pioneering project that envisioned a complete desktop experience delivered through the web browser, a concept considered revolutionary when it first emerged (early 2000s). It aimed to enable seamless collaboration and communication by providing users with file management, personal information tools, and collaborative features accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.
As a product designer, my role was to collaborate in discovering this new way of working, seeking to understand and provide a “translation” of a desktop experience into something virtual (web) and collaborative, when there was still no talk of collaborative web tools.
My Role
As a Product Designer, I was responsible for:
• Create the user experience for the first collaborative online text editor, when Google Docs or anything related didn't exist at that time.
• Understand user needs, envisioning and designing the user interface and experience for a collaborative “web-desktop” experience.
• User flows and journey maps: I visualised how different users would interact with the platform to achieve their goals, ensuring smooth and efficient processes.
• Information architecture: I defined the structure and organisation of the platform's content and features to enable easy navigation and understanding.
• Wireframes: I created the user interface to test and iterate on design solutions.
As a Product Designer, I was responsible for:
• Create the user experience for the first collaborative online text editor, when Google Docs or anything related didn't exist at that time.
• Understand user needs, envisioning and designing the user interface and experience for a collaborative “web-desktop” experience.
• User flows and journey maps: I visualised how different users would interact with the platform to achieve their goals, ensuring smooth and efficient processes.
• Information architecture: I defined the structure and organisation of the platform's content and features to enable easy navigation and understanding.
• Wireframes: I created the user interface to test and iterate on design solutions.
Summary
eyeOS was the brainchild of the young entrepreneurs Pau García-Milá and Marc Cercós, with the first publicly available version (eyeOS 0.6.0) released on August 1, 2005, in Barcelona. The initial idea stemmed from the rise of web services like Flickr and Del.icio.us, leading to the creation of a web-based operating system. It started as an open-source project, freely available for users to install on their servers and intranets. A global community quickly formed around the project, contributing to its improvement through translation, testing, and application development.
Key milestones included the release of eyeOS 1.0 in June 2007, which introduced a complete code reorganisation and new web technologies like the eyeSoft installation system and the eyeOS Toolkit for developers. Subsequent versions saw the introduction of compatibility with Microsoft Office and OpenOffice.org file formats, local computer synchronization, drag and drop functionality, and a mobile version. The 2.x series, launched in March 2010, represented a significant restructuring with enhanced collaboration and social features.
In April 2014, eyeOS was acquired by Telefónica, to consolidate its technology and expand internationally. However, Telefónica discontinued the application in late 2016. Before version 2.5, eyeOS used a free software license, transitioning to a proprietary license afterwards.
The Challenge
The primary challenge was to create a fully functional desktop environment within the constraints of web browser technology of the mid to late 2000s. This involved developing intuitive interfaces for file management, application execution, and collaboration tools using technologies like PHP, XML, and JavaScript. Simultaneously, we aimed to provide a user experience comparable to traditional desktop operating systems, but with the added benefits of cloud accessibility and collaboration.
During this period, Google was also evolving its cloud offerings. Google Drive didn't exist as a unified storage and synchronisation service until 2012. Before that, Google focused on individual web applications like Gmail (launched 2004), Google Docs, Google Sheets (2006), and Google Calendar (2006). While these were powerful web-based tools, they operated more as individual applications without any simultaneous collaboration feature, rather than a cohesive web desktop environment like eyeOS, which aimed to integrate various functionalities within a single interface.
eyeOS's vision of a complete web desktop, offering file management and integrated applications, was a more holistic approach to cloud computing compared to Google's initially more application-centric strategy.
Research iterations & Discovery
A significant aspect of eyeOS's development was the active involvement of its community (+10.000 members). Feedback from the forums, the wiki, and application communities was crucial in identifying bugs, suggesting new features, and improving the user experience. The large number of downloads and the translation of eyeOS into over 30 languages demonstrated a strong global interest and provided valuable insights into diverse user needs. The creation of the eyeOS Toolkit also fostered external development of new applications, expanding the platform's functionality based on community needs.
Design Process
Our design process centred around creating a familiar desktop metaphor within the web browser. This included a graphical interface with windows, icons, and a file manager. Key design principles included:
• Ease of Access: Ensuring users could access their workspace from any device with a web browser without requiring any software installation.
• Collaboration: Integrating tools for team-based work, such as shared files, group chat, and a shared calendar. The “SocialBar” feature allowed for sharing documents and files with teams, aiming to be a more effective alternative to email. The task manager facilitated task assignment and project management.
• File Management: Providing a user-friendly interface for organising and managing files stored in the cloud, with the innovative eyeSync feature allowing synchronization with local computers.
• Application Integration: Including native applications like eyeDocs and allowing the integration of other web applications used by businesses. The eyeSoft system enabled the installation and distribution of web applications within the eyeOS environment.
• Customisation: Offering themes to allow users to change the visual appearance.
• Responsiveness: Adapting the interface to different screen sizes, including PCs, tablets, and smartphones.
• Ease of Access: Ensuring users could access their workspace from any device with a web browser without requiring any software installation.
• Collaboration: Integrating tools for team-based work, such as shared files, group chat, and a shared calendar. The “SocialBar” feature allowed for sharing documents and files with teams, aiming to be a more effective alternative to email. The task manager facilitated task assignment and project management.
• File Management: Providing a user-friendly interface for organising and managing files stored in the cloud, with the innovative eyeSync feature allowing synchronization with local computers.
• Application Integration: Including native applications like eyeDocs and allowing the integration of other web applications used by businesses. The eyeSoft system enabled the installation and distribution of web applications within the eyeOS environment.
• Customisation: Offering themes to allow users to change the visual appearance.
• Responsiveness: Adapting the interface to different screen sizes, including PCs, tablets, and smartphones.
Technically, the design leveraged JavaScript for client-side interactions, sending server commands via AJAX. The server, primarily using PHP and storing information in XML files, would then send instructions back to the client in XML to update the user interface. The eyeOS Toolkit provided libraries and functions to simplify the development of new applications for the platform.
Final considerations
• Over 1 million downloads were achieved, demonstrating significant adoption.
• A global community formed with over 10,000 members in the eyeOS forums by April 2008.
• eyeOS received several awards, including Softpedia's Pick award in 2007, Yahoo! Spain Web Revelation award in Technology in 2007, and was selected as SourceForge's Project of the Month in August 2009. Gartner also named eyeOS a Cool Vendor in IT Operations management in 2011.
• IBM selected eyeOS as its preferred Open Source Cloud platform in 2010 and signed a global partnership.
• The platform facilitated reduced management costs by virtualizing employee workspaces.
• It offered improved mobility by providing access from any device.
• Productivity was increased through collaborative tools.
• Telefónica acquired eyeOS in 2014, indicating its recognition of the technology's potential in cloud services.
• A global community formed with over 10,000 members in the eyeOS forums by April 2008.
• eyeOS received several awards, including Softpedia's Pick award in 2007, Yahoo! Spain Web Revelation award in Technology in 2007, and was selected as SourceForge's Project of the Month in August 2009. Gartner also named eyeOS a Cool Vendor in IT Operations management in 2011.
• IBM selected eyeOS as its preferred Open Source Cloud platform in 2010 and signed a global partnership.
• The platform facilitated reduced management costs by virtualizing employee workspaces.
• It offered improved mobility by providing access from any device.
• Productivity was increased through collaborative tools.
• Telefónica acquired eyeOS in 2014, indicating its recognition of the technology's potential in cloud services.
Regarding the quality of the included applications, eyeOS featured native apps like eyeDocs and eyeSurveys, along with a suite of web apps in the Professional Edition, including a mail client, calendar, instant messaging, and collaboration tools. The presence of a community developing additional applications and the emphasis on compatibility with major office file formats indicates an effort to provide a functional and versatile set of tools. Features such as the task manager, shared calendar, and group chat aimed to deliver practical collaborative capabilities. The success of eyeOS in attracting users, winning awards, and establishing a partnership with IBM suggests that, for its time, it presented a valuable and innovative solution, even if specific quality metrics for each application were not outlined in the documentation.