Ersei, the developer behind this so-called Cloud Native Computer, says the project was primarily a “silly” pursuit. There is also a problem with booting from Google Drive currently being very slow. However, the dev also boasts that “the possibilities are endless” and would welcome any companies or individuals who wish to get in contact and discuss commercializing this project or something related to it.

  • jfx@discuss.tchncs.de
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    2 months ago

    Soo, booting your computer from someone else’s computer?

    I mean we’ve had thin clients and PXE for ages?

    • mox@lemmy.sdf.org
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      2 months ago

      And bootp before that, and tftp before that. So I think roughly… 35 years?

    • SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      More being able to use cloud storage and not need a full physical secondary computer. In theory the cloud can be accessed anywhere, even if a portion is down, not the same for a single physical PC.

    • GamingChairModel@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Do thin clients and PXE require a server specifically configured to serve a boot image? (Genuinely asking.)

      I’m not sure whether this project is doing something new by just accessing network resources that are nothing more than shared files, without any specific software running on the server (beyond just a server serving files).

      • catloaf@lemm.ee
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        2 months ago

        Yes, they do. The novel thing here is serving the files out of Google Drive.

        There are existing PXE servers that run over the Internet, like boot.netboot.xyz, so that you don’t have to run your own (assuming you trust everyone involved in that connection). Those are far more practical.