Klaas explaining cross-device syncing to visitors.

Lots of people dropped by to see ownCloud 5, while others were eager to learn about the concepts of ownCloud, or were asking about tips on how to host their files at home or on a self-maintained server.

Snapshot from the buffet.

The feedback from existing users overall was very positive, and many were pleased to see the advances ownCloud had made in its evolution. We also discussed sharing questions with users and even managed to do some live debugging, the result of which will soon show up in the next release of the Desktop client.

Me in front of the booth.

If you want to meet us again, visit the ownCloud booth at LinuxTag in Berlin from 22.-25. of May.

Arthur giving his overview of oC 5.0 features.

ownCloud server engineer Arthur Schiwon kicked off the talk series with an overview of ownCloud 5.0 features. Only a few minutes after he started, we had to interrupt the talk – the room had gotten too croweded, so we removed some of the desks and sqeezed in another two rows of chairs.

A packed room listens to the talks.

After Sam had taken a lot of question from a very interested audience, it was about time for some fresh air and a slice of pizza, kindly sponsored by ownCloud Inc.

Sam talking about the upcoming encryptiion system.

Discussions after the talks lasted past midnight.

Thanks everyone for joining in. It was an awesome night!

• Windows Server support extended
• PDF viewer is updated for improved performance and compatibility
• Improved media player
• Improved overall performance
• Improved download performance
• Show file size and progress during downloading

The first news of the day is that the fantastic ownCloud community has released ownCloud Server 5.0.0. Congratulations everyone!

The second news is that Google has decided to power down Google Reader. This is a sad news for the users of the Reader, but it’s a great opportunity for ownCloud! Google Reader will cease to exist on July 1st and their users are looking for alternatives. As you already know if you have been following this blog, in the last year I have been working on an RSS/Atom reader for ownCloud (News app). The project started as a Summer of Code project sponsored by Google itself. Actually, the original idea and most of the design choices were inspired by Google Reader. It couldn’t be otherwise, since I have been a user of that service myself for long time.

In the last August I released an alpha version of the News app, see my previous post. There has been lot of progress since. Bernhard Posselt (Raydiation) ported the app to the new ownCloud app framework and he joined me as co-maintainer of the app. Thanks to his work, the app works much better now, the user interface is faster and the code is more stable and more testable.
In the last KDEPIM sprint in Berlin, I started to write an API so that external clients can synchronize with the app. Many calls are still missing, but it’s a start. Frank Osterfeld is already using this API in an Akonadi resource that interacts with the app and that can be used by Akregator. His code is in the akregator_port branch of kdepim-runtime. If you want to use the resource, you need akregator2 from the akregator_port branch of kdepim.
I am also trying to put up a new GSoC project for a mobile app that interfaces with this API (if you are a student interested in this, please let me know).

The app was not stable enough to be shipped today with ownCloud 5 (yes, remember news number one: oC 5 released today!). We expect to release a stable version of it in less than two months (probably along with some ownCloud 5.X release). Once that will happen, I will write a post on how to migrate from Google Reader. Just to be clear, there is a big difference between ownCloud News and Google Reader. OwnCloud News is open-source (code is released under AGPL) and you can host it on your own server. And if you use KDE, you will be able to use Akregator off-line and still have all your feeds on the cloud. Google Reader will be shut down on July 1st. You will have to make a change anyway, why not making a real change!

We are developing the app in the master branch of the ownCloud apps repository on github. If you want to check the API, refer to the news_ext_api branch instead. We ask for help with testing, developing, documenting. If you have any questions, bug me (zimba12) or Raydiation on #owncloud-dev, Freenode. The more help we get, the earlier we will manage to ship the app.

Google Reader is dead. Long live ownCloud News!

The first news of the day is that the fantastic ownCloud community has released ownCloud Server 5.0.0. Congratulations everyone!

The second news is that Google has decided to power down Google Reader. This is a sad news for the users of the Reader, but it’s a great opportunity for ownCloud! Google Reader will cease to exist on July 1st and their users are looking for alternatives. As you already know if you have been following this blog, in the last year I have been working on an RSS/Atom reader for ownCloud (News app). The project started as a Summer of Code project sponsored by Google itself. Actually, the original idea and most of the design choices were inspired by Google Reader. It couldn’t be otherwise, since I have been a user of that service myself for long time.

In the last August I released an alpha version of the News app, see my previous post. There has been lot of progress since. Bernhard Posselt (Raydiation) ported the app to the new ownCloud app framework and he joined me as co-maintainer of the app. Thanks to his work, the app works much better now, the user interface is faster and the code is more stable and more testable.
In the last KDEPIM sprint in Berlin, I started to write an API so that external clients can synchronize with the app. Many calls are still missing, but it’s a start. Frank Osterfeld is already using this API in an Akonadi resource that interacts with the app and that can be used by Akregator. His code is in the akregator_port branch of kdepim-runtime. If you want to use the resource, you need akregator2 from the akregator_port branch of kdepim.
I am also trying to put up a new GSoC project for a mobile app that interfaces with this API (if you are a student interested in this, please let me know).

The app was not stable enough to be shipped today with ownCloud 5 (yes, remember news number one: oC 5 released today!). We expect to release a stable version of it in less than two months (probably along with some ownCloud 5.X release). Once that will happen, I will write a post on how to migrate from Google Reader. Just to be clear, there is a big difference between ownCloud News and Google Reader. OwnCloud News is open-source (code is released under AGPL) and you can host it on your own server. And if you use KDE, you will be able to use Akregator off-line and still have all your feeds on the cloud. Google Reader will be shut down on July 1st. You will have to make a change anyway, why not making a real change!

We are developing the app in the master branch of the ownCloud apps repository on github. If you want to check the API, refer to the news_ext_api branch instead. We ask for help with testing, developing, documenting. If you have any questions, bug me (zimba12) or Raydiation on #owncloud-dev, Freenode. The more help we get, the earlier we will manage to ship the app.

Google Reader is dead. Long live ownCloud News!

The first news of the day is that the fantastic ownCloud community has released ownCloud Server 5.0.0. Congratulations everyone!

The second news is that Google has decided to power down Google Reader. This is a sad news for the users of the Reader, but it’s a great opportunity for ownCloud! Google Reader will cease to exist on July 1st and their users are looking for alternatives. As you already know if you have been following this blog, in the last year I have been working on an RSS/Atom reader for ownCloud (News app). The project started as a Summer of Code project sponsored by Google itself. Actually, the original idea and most of the design choices were inspired by Google Reader. It couldn’t be otherwise, since I have been a user of that service myself for long time.

In the last August I released an alpha version of the News app, see my previous post. There has been lot of progress since. Bernhard Posselt (Raydiation) ported the app to the new ownCloud app framework and he joined me as co-maintainer of the app. Thanks to his work, the app works much better now, the user interface is faster and the code is more stable and more testable.
In the last KDEPIM sprint in Berlin, I started to write an API so that external clients can synchronize with the app. Many calls are still missing, but it’s a start. Frank Osterfeld is already using this API in an Akonadi resource that interacts with the app and that can be used by Akregator. His code is in the akregator_port branch of kdepim-runtime. If you want to use the resource, you need akregator2 from the akregator_port branch of kdepim.
I am also trying to put up a new GSoC project for a mobile app that interfaces with this API (if you are a student interested in this, please let me know).

The app was not stable enough to be shipped today with ownCloud 5 (yes, remember news number one: oC 5 released today!). We expect to release a stable version of it in less than two months (probably along with some ownCloud 5.X release). Once that will happen, I will write a post on how to migrate from Google Reader. Just to be clear, there is a big difference between ownCloud News and Google Reader. OwnCloud News is open-source (code is released under AGPL) and you can host it on your own server. And if you use KDE, you will be able to use Akregator off-line and still have all your feeds on the cloud. Google Reader will be shut down on July 1st. You will have to make a change anyway, why not making a real change!

We are developing the app in the master branch of the ownCloud apps repository on github. If you want to check the API, refer to the news_ext_api branch instead. We ask for help with testing, developing, documenting. If you have any questions, bug me (zimba12) or Raydiation on #owncloud-dev, Freenode. The more help we get, the earlier we will manage to ship the app.

Google Reader is dead. Long live ownCloud News!

Today we released ownCloud 5!

I do not want to repeat what is already written in the Announcement, but I like to share some other points with you.

1. Frank blogged about this release not from a technical point of view, but in terms of a Vision, the greater idea behind ownCloud as part of the Internet as it was designed. In times when centralized solutions become more and more popular again and states fall back more and more into dark ages again with expanding surveillance ignoring more or less active their constitution (USA, Germany, Hungary are just examples) the Internet with decentralized actors is more important than before. Big hubs like Facebook or Google are easy to control, easy to manipulate. Read Frank’s blog ownCloud 5 released: a vision realized, a vision expanded
2. The Reader is dead, long live the reader! In ownCloud 5 a News Reader is available.
   
   
3. What actually was my main focus was improving the LDAP backend in ownCloud 5. There we have great new things like Support for multiple Bases, even multiple servers, customizable server side search, support for backup servers. Check out the backend and see the LDAP documentation to see how to configure the shiny new stuff. Generall we do have fancy ownCloud display names, which are also made use of by the LDAP backend.
4. At least there are ownCloud Release Parties in Stuttgart and Berlin, both Germany, both on Friday! Check the links for details and drop by!

New user interface, content-based search, antivirus and integration enhancements just some of the added features and quality enhancements to give users a free alternative to “roll their own” Dropbox

Lexington, MA – March 14, 2013 – ownCloud, the world’s most popular open source secure file sync and share software, announced today the release of its latest community edition, giving users a flexible, customizable and secure way to host their own cloud file sync and share.

Built with the support of the ownCloud community, the latest ownCloud Community Edition includes a Deleted Files app — so users can restore accidently deleted files and folders; improved apps management — so third-party apps can be easily installed from the central apps repository (apps.owncloud.com) and automatically removed from the server if disabled; and a refreshed design — to improve usability and differentiate main navigation from in-app navigation; and more.

Unlike Dropbox and other commercial sync and share apps, which store data in the cloud in remote, third-party data centers, ownCloud is deployed on-premise, seamlessly integrating with existing security, storage, monitoring and reporting tools. With more than 750,000 users worldwide, ownCloud offers the ease-of-use, flexibility, sophistication and security not available from basic syncing apps and third-party storage.

“Another great effort by the community and ownCloud employees has produced a fantastically feature-rich, quality ownCloud edition,” said Frank Karlitschek, founder and CTO, ownCloud. “The ownCloud project has always been about providing people with the easiest, safest way to sync their files across multiple devices and share them with friends, family and colleagues. This latest effort adds and improves some great features, while significantly enhancing quality and user experience.”

Latest ownCloud Community features

Usability – design improvements, new features and advanced documentation make ownCloud significantly easier to install, manage and use:

• New design: View content in a simplified and redesigned interface, with the main web navigation panel now clearly differentiated from in-app navigations. Settings and log-out are combined into a single user menu — which also now shows the currently logged-in user. Settings are further simplified and app-specific settings are moved from personal settings into the appropriate apps.
• Deleted Files: Restore accidently deleted files and folders and manually delete sensitive files, while the system now automatically cleans up older files depending on age and used space.
• New search engine: Find files stored by name — and now by content — with a new Lucene-based full text search engine app.
• New antivirus: Scan uploaded files using Clam AV, preventing the potential for automated distribution of infected files. Users can choose to automatically delete, report and/or log any infected files.
• Display name: Create display names for users and administrators, simplifying the collaborative experience. In the interface and share dialog, display names are now shown instead of the login names — easier to understand for users and can be changed by the admin.
• Rewritten photo gallery: Access and share photos with friends and family with an improved and streamlined user interface – which also includes a slideshow feature.
• Improved contacts: Access friends, coworkers and family in an enhanced interface, with contacts now organized by groups (categories) instead of address books. The main view shows an overview of the most important fields and the amount of information adjusts automatically depending on the size of the browser window or device. The web interface is now written entirely in JavaScript – resulting in a more responsive user experience.
• Improved calendar: Mark events as confidential or public easily with a simplified user interface that gives users more control — including support for classes.
• Improved bookmarks: Create, find and use bookmarks faster with filter navigation, a “read later” button for the browser toolbar, and many more enhancements that make getting to bookmarked content faster and easier.
• New documentation: Get help faster through completely new user, admin and developer documentation. The user and administrator documentation is shipped with ownCloud and available in the help menu. The developer documentation is available online.

Performance – enhanced scaling, better storage management, improved code security and storage encryption make ownCloud faster and more secure:

• Improved file cache: Mix and match storage to create a hybrid cloud to take advantage of the newly refactored file system abstraction, including more flexibility and greater performance (up to 500% faster). Optional externally mounted file systems like Google Drive, Dropbox, FTP and others are scanned on-demand and in the background to increase performance. Support for SFTP external file systems is added.
• Improved syncing of Desktop Client: Sync faster with dramatically improved sync performance between the desktop clients due to significantly reduced server overhead communications.
• Security: Reduce the risk of harmful actions with updated app-level protection via CSRF protection checks, and forbidden inline JavaScript (XSS protection).
• Improved versioning: Automatically manage versions on the server, expiring old versions when users run out of quota. A new intelligent algorithm keeps revisions every 2 seconds for the first 10 seconds, every 10 seconds for the next minute, every minute for the next hour, every hour for the next 24 hours, and one revision per day until running out of space or quota.
• Encryption: Encrypt at rest with the newly designed server-side encryption application, to be delivered in a later maintenance release in April 2013. Users currently taking advantage of ownCloud’s server-side encryption should continue to use the current ownCloud implementation until then.

Integration – greater connectivity to more storage back ends, additional user directories, and a new API make ownCloud easier to integrate into an enterprise-class environment:

• Enhanced external storage app: Increase performance of integrated secondary storage, including Dropbox, Swift, FTP, Google Docs, S3, WebDAV and external ownCloud servers, with a significantly faster, more efficient and easier external storage app. This is the fastest way to a personal hybrid cloud.
• Improved LDAP: Support large scale deployments, and handle more users faster, by integrating multiple LDAP and AD instances. Administrators can now search LDAP and AD directories in configurable attributes, not only in the ownCloud user name. Multiple User/Group bases can be configured in the LDAP backend. LDAP backend supports paged results for better performance if the server offers it (requires PHP 5.4).
• New REST API: Access and control ownCloud remotely from external systems with the new standards-based open interface. A new Open Collaboration Services (OCS)-based REST API is added, supporting the newly released OCS 1.7 spec.
• Improved apps management: Easily install third-party apps from the central apps repository (apps.owncloud.com) and automatically remove from the server if disabled. If a new version of a third-party app is published, an update button appears and the app and can be easily updated with just one click. Recommended apps are shown in the apps list with a “recommended” label so that users can easily find high quality apps.

Other usability and performance improvements:

• Faster and more compatible web-based PDF Viewer
• Improved media player for listening to streaming media files
• New file size and progress bars at work during downloads
• Improved overall performance

ownCloud Community gives enthusiasts and technical users a free, secure and innovative way to sync and share data. ownCloud, Inc., the company behind ownCloud, will launch a commercially-supported enterprise edition of ownCloud in the second quarter, targeting enterprise IT departments that require on-premise file sync and share for sensitive corporate data.

About the ownCloud Community

ownCloud launched at a KDE community event in 2010 to bring greater flexibility, access and security to data in the cloud. ownCloud enables universal access to files through the widely implemented WebDAV standard; providing a platform to easily view and sync contacts, calendars and bookmarks across devices while supporting sharing, viewing and editing via the web interface. Installation has minimal server requirements, doesn’t need special permissions and is fast and easy. ownCloud is extendable via a simple, powerful API for applications. For more information, please visit: http://www.owncloud.org.

About ownCloud Inc.

Based on the popular ownCloud open source file sync and share community project, ownCloud Inc. was founded in 2011 to give corporate IT greater control of their data — combining greater flexibility, openness and extensibility with on premise servers and storage. Company headquarters are in Boston, with European headquarters in Nuremberg, Germany. For more information, visit: http://www.owncloud.com.