Ubuntu cloud storage coming to Windows

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 25 Jan 2010 at 07:55

The Ubuntu One cloud storage service could be on its way to Windows PCs.

Ubuntu One is automatically installed with the latest version of the Ubuntu OS and gives users 2GB of free online storage, allowing them to quickly synchronise files across different Ubuntu systems. That capacity can be boosted to 50GB for $10 per month.

Now the Ubuntu One team plans to extend the service to Windows PCs, with a code "sprint" at this year's Python Community Conference in February, where volunteer programmers will attempt to hammer out a port for the back-up tool.

Windows isn't exactly short of such services. Microsoft's Live Mesh and Dropbox both offer free and simple file-synchronisation services. However, extending Ubuntu One to Windows will give dual-boot users an easy way to syncrhonise files between their two operating systems, potentially encouraging more people to give the leading Linux distro a try.

The Linux OS has grown so popular in recent years that distributor Canonical has been forced to stop dishing out free CDs for each new version of Ubuntu, because of the huge cost involved.