This is why open source, non commercial, software is working so well and becoming so popular. Before the open source boom, you couldn't download a simple program without facing the consequences of unwanted advertisement software and other computer-slowing, security-compromising junk. In those days, between 2001 and early 2004, unwanted programs ruled the land and were a far greater security risk than any virus or worm at the time.
That was the age of the spyware. The age after the basic death of Netscape and prior to the stable release of Firefox, which was released in September, 2002 under the name "Phoenix."
The PR guy wanted to give portability a try, so I purchased an RiData 2GB USB 2.0 compatable drive. It is a little wider than I was expecting but lightweight and inexpensive.
Using Firefox and Thunderbird along with the rest of the PortableApps Suite, I also gave myself Gimp Portable, a lightweight open source graphic and photo editing solution.
I like it. The only thing I'd worry about is that if this takes off and people start to rely on the portable applications and their password saving features, USB drives will become more valuable than wallets. The lesson here is that you should always protect your data. If you're prone to losing things, do not save your passwords on your portable apps.
Another feature is the convenience of Open Office. This is a full feature productivity suite with most of the bells and whistles you'd see in comparable commercial products, and it's free and open source means anyone with the ability can take its code and turn it into whatever their heart desired.
Thus, the age of spyware closed and the age of open source, transparent, software has emerged. The only question that remains is, what comes next?
Article comments
1 - nugget
Very interesting! I gotta get me one of these. Before I google, you know the max space on a usb portable drive? What's the equivalent "write-protect" feature of it? Does it have one? Really cool stuff.
2 - nugget
$115! A little more than your average floppy!!
I guess they figure 4 GB is grounds for that kind of price....
3 - leftyfb
Another great place to get portable applications and news about portable storage media: no install
4 - dan
portable apps is a GREAT site and has ALOT of good software. I cant pretend that everything that I have gotten from it is picture perfect (I've downloaded blender portable and it has some bugs) but overall the thing is just awsome.
I would be wary, however, of adding any sort of "autoplay menue" to your flash drive as I've found that this can lead to compatibility p[roblems especially on networks (school) where the CD partition of the menue takes up an extra drive letter.
I would also highly advise you NOT to purchase one of the new "U3" drives. The U3 software ushers in a whole slew of problems without any benefits that cannot be obtained from the portable apps site. In particular it has caused my computer to not regognize the data portion of by drive and also caused by computer to mysteriousely reboot. I have read that I am not the only one with these problems.
5 - Kostya
Hi I have a question, I like using portable programs at school from my USB device but some of them are refused internet access like portable Gaim for example. Is there any way around this?
thank you
6 - Daniel
I tried software from portableapps as well. I bought the latest model of NOKIA 5300 with 2GB microSD installed. I can now worked basically from my handphone. About a month ago, i watched a TV review on cybeshack and its kind of interest me too, its this SmarThumb software suites that are able to work in any USB storage device, including my NOKIA phone. Cool man, i now use it comfortably to encrypt my files in my HDD.
7 - mash
i use a i/o magic 80 gig micro drive its about $79
bucks i have over 100 portable apps and i use it totally it is my computer when out side my house .
it runs every thing from open office, email, web designer to game emulators so have fun and make all your friends envious.
8 - Sergio
go portable!
9 - Ricgal
Here it is September 2008. One of the early comments was the price of USB memory. It has been cut in half and half again, maybe even more, since this article was written!
Exciting
10 - Ghyoom
Thank You
11 - SUUNY
4GB FLASH DRIVE STICK ON EBAY AROUND $15.00 PLUS SHIPPING SOMETIMES...AVAILABLE UP TO 64GB NOW..BUT THESE ARE SLOW WITH CHEAP CHIP SETS...FASTER ONES ARE AVAILABLE AT $150.00 OR MORE...STILL TAKES A LOT OF WORK AND LUCK TO INSTALL AN OS ON ONE...I ENVISION THIS CHANGING...ONCE THIS HAPPENS WE WILL ALL BE CARRYING 5TB FLASH STICKS AND THE COMPUTER (AND EVERYTHING ELSE LIKE SODA MACHINES, ATM MACHINES, ECT)WILL BE NOTHING BUT A BOX WE PLUG INTO...