Online storage provider Box.net is announcing today the launch of OpenBox, a platform for developers to integrate their web applications into Box.net.
The platform, once rolled out in full by December 5th, will enable web developers to create “service actions” on Box.net that allow users to easily load their files into 3rd-party web applications. These service actions will also permit users to transfer their files back to Box.net once they have been edited elsewhere. OpenBox is therefore meant to help transform Box.net into an online file system where users can store the data they want to load into various applications on the web.
Today’s announcement largely signals the availability of service actions for a handful of web applications: Echosign, eFax, Autodesk, Zoho, ThinkFree, Scribd, Picnik, Zazzle, Mimeo, Twitter, and Myxer. These service actions are options in a dropdown menu that appears when you right-click on file hosted by Box.net. Select “Edit document” to load a file into Zoho, “Publish with Scribd” to send a document to Scribd’s repository, “Edit with Picnik” to edit an image in a graphics program, and so on. Although Box.net has put some hands on time into setting up this original batch of web services, developers will be able to set up their service actions on their own using a point-and-click interface available on December 5th.
Box.net has focused on making OpenBox compatible with existing APIs so that developers won’t need to reconfigure their applications to mesh with it. Just tell OpenBox what type of HTTP request to make (REST, UPLOAD POST, XML, or SOAP) and what parameters to use, and Box.net will connect to your application through your API. If you don’t have an API, however, you need to create some sort of interface for your application to communicate with Box.net.
As with the Facebook platform, services (or “applications” if you prefer) on Box.net will be provided to users in a directory. When services are submitted to OpenBox, they will be manually approved before they hit the directory. Each service will also get its own distinct URL.
OpenBox is not the first initiative that Box.net has taken to open its file storage up to other applications on the web. The company already provides APIs through which other applications can automatically perform functions on your Box.net files (once authorized, of course). Not many service providers have taken advantage of this functionality, however, since users could not propagate their files to other services from within Box.net until now. By providing third parties with a presence within Box.net’s actual website, OpenBox will probably attract many more companies who want to feed off the service’s user base.
More screenshots of OpenBox are provided below.
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I don’t use box.net’s service at all, but whatever, I still think this is a really cool idea.
How is this different from Amazon S3?
well, really cool idea and great features. hope they got huge user …
thanks
Well, yes, this ones better. I used to use 4shared.com, but the java supported drag and drop feature is good. I guess even photobucket has similar features.
I hope the makers of OpenBox windows manager don’t get mad at the branding conflicts. ;p
This is definitely a very good direction for Box.net
Can we have a Duncan Riley post please? I love reading badly written stories on major sites.
Thanks.
I stop using S3. Then I found Bucket Explorer. I’ve been uploading continuously for the past 14 hours. It doesn’t time out like S3Fox even when you surf. http://www.bucketexplorer.com/
awesome!
Here’s a strange email response from them about issues with the Twitter service - I guess it’s meant as, “not our app so don’t expect support from us” which is fine and all if they don’t want any end user testing, but the whole “default facilities” kinda has me scratching my head as I thought OpenBox was their “facility”.
> Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:42:59 +0100
> To: support@box.net
> Subject: Twitter / OpenBox service
> Hello,
> I’m trying to use the OpenBox service, specifically the Twitter
> integration. I posted something to Twitter using this service and see
> a link to http://www.box.net/shared/ but not to the file I shared out.
> What is it exactly that I’m suppose to see when all is said and done?
> Maybe screenshots of the whole process would be helpful, or some
> additional information - I’m happy to test from a user perspective if
> you’d like, just let me know.
> Also, the first time that I tried to post a file, I used the wrong
> Twitter password and didn’t get a notification - my file was actually
> listed as “shared” as well.
>> On Nov 13, 2007 9:58 PM, Box.net Support wrote:
>> Hello,
>> Thank you for your message.
>> We assume that you are using third party software to upload and download to Box.net. We do not give support third party software; hence we are unable to give any information about it. We strongly recommend you to use the default facilities available in Box.net.
>> Feel free to get back to us if you need further assistance,
>> Sincerely,
>> The Box.net team
Hey Chrys,
Sorry for the confusing response from Box support. We’re still figuring out our support policies for third-party services, and we didn’t mean to leave you hanging like this - we absolutely do appreciate that you’re testing and using OpenBox! We’ll be sure to follow up with some additional measures you can take to make sure everything is working for the twitter posting. Again, sorry for the confusion. If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to email me directly - aaron [at] box.net.
- Aaron
Doesn’t anyone else think that $80/year for 5GB for storage is a little crazy?
I think you pay for the features not for the storage. Mozy will backup unlimited data for $5 a month, but you cant share or access the data online.
Hi webmaster!