Aladdin Project:Organizing the Assembly and Provision of Resources toMac OS X Users using Distributed File System Technology

Leung Hoang (lghoang@gmail.com)Graham Laverty (graham@aladdin.co.ca)

Samuel Wong (samuelwong01@gmail.com)

Supervisor: Dr. Craig Scratchley (wcs@sfu.ca)

What is Aladdin?

Distributed System providing seamless access to online “soft computing resources” to Mac OS X users

Distributed

Seamless

“Soft computing resources”

What is Aladdin?

Easy instant access to a wealth of resources (from programs to fonts)

Simply run the Aladdin installer (very quick)

Then all provided programs/resources instantly available

No need to locate or install software

Seamless?

“Soft computing resources” appear to have been shipped by Apple with the OS

No need for a manual install process.Just double-click a file to automatically load

it in the right application!Fonts automatically appear in word

processors programs and text editors

What Resources?

What “soft computing resources” will be hosted?ApplicationsFontsSoundsPicturesMany Other

Possibilities

Why Mac OS X?

Mac can easily scan network resourcesExpanding to Linux is a possibility, at

least for some resourcesOther platforms can still use Aladdin

Can use as a distribution point (images, sounds)

Delivery and usage of resources is NOT seamless

Project Goals

Establish Aladdin as an international distributed system hosting “multilingual” resources for the global Mac OS X community

Promote collaboration from a diverse spectrum of individuals and organizations regardless of language, culture, nationality

Project Goals cont.

Improve the user experience for Apple end-users, increasing options and computer usability

Catalyze development in distributed file system technology

Inspire development of similar resource networks for other platforms

Distributed Network

UNBC

SFUUVic

Prince Rupert

Administrative Difficulty

Size and Scope of AladdinResource Administration

Managing and maintaining a diverse number of applications and resources can quickly become overwhelming for a small team stagnation

Server administration of volunteer servers can quickly become time-consuming

Also this can help overcome linguistic barriers

Resource Administration

Top-down hierarchyOpenAFS provides only flat

administrationWeb-based application, written using

Apple’s WebObjects FrameworkMakes it easy to administrate resources,

and further delegate/subdelegate responsibility to new admins

Resource Administration

Root Administrators

Library Applications

FontsWeb Browsers

SoundsWord

Processors

Latin Cyrillic

Jim

(Canada)Anna

(Russia)

Resource Administration…

A now time for a little demo…

Server Administration

3-tier Java-client WebObjects applicationLikely a “shallow” hierarchyServer Administrators are organized

geographically or linguistically, etc.Individual organisations can add many

servers

Server Administration

Aladdin

Simon Fraser University

All Content

Shaw

Telus

English Content

English

Content

Hiro

(Japan)Japanese Content

Joe

Shaw Customer

Astrolyte

Suki

Telus Customer

Kanji Font

Benefits And Solutions from a Business Perspective

Who benefits most?Apple end-usersApple Incorporated – drive apple sales ISPs (Telus, Shaw, Bell, etc.)

Can offer extra value to their clientsEncourage upgrade away from dial-up

Universities ResearchersStudents (computer labs)Staff

Benefits And Solutions from a Business Perspective cont.

What about commercial entities?

90%

10%

Aladdin Resources

10

Company’s ServersEmployees

Replicate subset of Aladdin’s content Charge for support?

Benefits And Solutions from a Business Perspective cont.

Other benefits to commercial companies?Saves system administrators time

Latest version of software quickly availableSecurity updates done automatically – no need

to update or patchAladdin is easy to use

Less time needed for technical supportMinimal setup, no ongoing maintenance

How to commercialize….

SubscriptionsSoftware companies can submit limited

software to AladdinThey get free public exposureWe get a share of the revenue from licenses

soldAdvertisements

Website, forums

A Collaborative Effort

Root

Administrators

Server

Administrators

•ISPs

•End Users

•Companies

•Organizations

Open Source Community

A Collaborative Effort cont.

Root

Administrators

Resource

AdministratorsApple End Users

Suggestions

Summary

Aladdin is easy to use, seamless, and instantly gives you access to large number of applications and resources

Thank you!

Questions?