
OwnCloud 4.0 just released - Create
http://owncloud.org/
======
Create
<https://gitorious.org/owncloud>

ownCloud began at a KDE community event in 2010, aiming to bring greater
flexibility, access and security to data in the cloud. ownCloud enables
universal access to files through the widely implemented WebDAV standard,
providing a platform to easily view and sync contacts, calendars and bookmarks
across devices while supporting sharing, viewing and editing via the web
interface. Installation has minimal server requirements, doesn’t need special
permissions and is quick. ownCloud is extendable via a simple, powerful API
for applications.

With more than 450,000 users, ownCloud offers the ease-of-use of Dropbox with
more flexibility and security. ownCloud users can run their own file sync and
share services on their own hardware and storage, use popular public hosting
and storage offerings, or both.

Other major improvements:

\- Drag & Drop File Uploading – Enables end users to upload a file from a
browser without installing a client. Simply open a browser, log in and then
drag from the desktop into the ownCloud window.

\- Shared Calendars and Calendar categories – End users can sync their own
calendar, but also share their calendar with others, enabling them to see and
schedule appointments while looking at the user’s schedule.

\- File Encryption – new server side encryption increases file security while
at rest – not even server admins can look at these encrypted files while they
reside on the server.

\- ownCloud 4 also adds a to-do syncing plug-in, improved contacts and groups,
improved file sharing, enhanced the photo gallery, improved system
performance, easier installation of third party plug-ins and more. Complete
details can be found <http://owncloud.org/features>.

...if it would only sync FBReader bookmarks and FireFox tabs/bookmarks á la
read it later across devices...

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lessnonymous
If you're involved in this project, please fix one thing on your website: What
on earth is this?

You need a simple statement of what the project actually achieves for me, not
random promises of "versioning" or pictures of calendars. I've no idea why I
need them.

Rob Walling's "Promise to verb your noun" is a great way to quickly get
something up.

Edit: Just read about it on Wikipedia. Now I get it.

~~~
bcx
I read their webpage and thought the same thing. They should just add a <h1>
tag to the website that reads "Bring Cloud Storage to your own Hardare" above
their main graphic.

~~~
BryanB55
me too... I had absolutely no idea what it is. It's funny to think that people
can build a site and forget to check for things like that.

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Mithrandir
Careful with their encryption:
[http://crypto.junod.info/2012/05/24/owncloud-4-0-and-
encrypt...](http://crypto.junod.info/2012/05/24/owncloud-4-0-and-encryption/)

~~~
graue
Summary of the link:

OwnCloud is using Mersenne Twister (not secure) seeded by time of day and PID
(which is not nearly enough entropy) to generate keys. The encryption is done
in ECB mode, which leaks data
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_cipher_modes_of_operatio...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_cipher_modes_of_operation#Electronic_codebook_.28ECB.29)).
The encryption key is stored in the clear in session data, which usually
resides in /tmp.

There's more, but those seem to be the worst parts.

~~~
DenisM
Thank you for the useful summary. I wish more people did that.

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cateye
What makes something a "cloud" and not a "directory manager"?

Why is for example <http://code.google.com/p/relay/> not a cloud solution? Is
it only a marketing term or does functionality like being able to syncing from
multiple devices make something a cloud?

~~~
phaer
It's more than just a directory manager. It is also an extendable platform,
see <http://apps.owncloud.com/>

~~~
cateye
I am not sayin that is just a directory manager. Just starting the discussion
to give "cloud" a more substantive meaning.

If "extendable" is the criteria, then any directory manager is a cloud because
you can easily write a plugin and extend the functionality.

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udkl
It seems ownCloud is trying to be everything sync at a single time and not
really performing upto the mark !

Though I understood it after visiting some pages, was really confused on
visiting their front page as to what the product is about.

Skeptic about how successful they would be.

~~~
rbanffy
> Skeptic about how successful they would be.

They are releasing version 4. I'd assume some success on versions 1 through 3
or the project would have been abandoned.

I'm curious on how it performs with thousands of users. I'll probably run a
few tests.

And brush up my PHP.

~~~
mukaiji
I was psyched about contributing to this awesome project so I immediately
checked out the core. Then i saw it's written in php........... never mind :(

~~~
rbanffy
It is possible to write elegant PHP. All it takes is discipline.

Besides, being a PHP application, you may even be able to deploy it to shared
hosting. Not bad.

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jahewson
Nice work. But the demo gets suck in some sort of infinite loop trying to log
in...

~~~
MatthewPhillips
Same here, tried in Chrome and Opera, same result.

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jessedhillon
Although I like the idea of syncing my files in one place and managing it
myself, it would hard for me to commit to using a PHP application for such an
critical task.

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timkeller
Congratulations on the 4.0 release. Can't wait to try it out.

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mieses
it looks great except the search feature seems insufficient.

