I want my desktop to persist, though, when I’m not online. And I don’t want to mess about hosting it and then having to apply all sorts of gizmos to make it work. I want it done by one single provider.

So I’ve a look at Desktone. They appear to be having some good success in the market with their DaaS (“Desktop as a Service”) initiative. For instance, Thames Water swapped thousands of employees using Desktone.

I’ve filled in the form asking Desktone to call me. I also tried out the 7-day trial but unfortunately that wasn’t long enough for me to get organised enough to properly try it.

I’ve also taken a look at the hosted virtual desktop offering from Rackspace. It promises a 30-day trial so I’ll let you know how that goes.

Do you have any suggestions for companies I should look at? Please do let me know.

Initially I want to try it all out on me. Then I’d like to recommend the solution(s) to some of the FTSEs I’m working with.

Do any of the operators offer this as yet?

Update: I talked to the team at CyberlinkASP who are the partner behind the Rackspace offering (Rackspace provide the server infrastructure, CyberlinkASP do all the virtual desktop goodness.) I came away rather impressed from the call. They seemed to know their stuff. This was also upheld by the simply superb experience I had with the test VDI instance using Citrix Receiver. It all just worked. I’m going to do more experimentation shortly.

Update 2: CyberlinkASP also tell me that anyone who’s a big fan of the Rackspace “fanatical support” approach to business will rest easy with them — Cyberlink offer their very own version of that: Their services come with full help desk and call centre support. This is critical if you’re looking for a rounded solution as apposed to a functional service. Indeed many providers I’m seeing in the marketplace simply offer the bog standard basics leaving you to figure out everything from setting up Citrix Receiver to sorting out printer installation. Cyberlink do it all. Plus, if you’re looking to do a small amount of users (e.g. 1-5) they tell me they’d be delighted to help.

Our help desk/call center comes with our product, and all users take advantage, from help loading the Citrix receiver, setting up printers and anything in between.  Most of the guys out there are lacking in support if they offer it all.  Also, we’ll take 1  to 5 users anytime

Fancy a free, web-based Virtual Computer? You just log-in to it from your web browser, and there is your desktop, waiting to go to work for you?

I’ve played with quite a few of these types of services over the years. I’ve always liked the idea of having my desktop and my ‘data’ in the sky, so I can always get to it wherever I am and from whatever device or utility I choose.

Google Apps has delivered some of this. I like the fact I can get on the plane in London and off the plane in San Francisco 10 hours away and still have access to exactly the same data from my mobile, my iPhone, my laptop and so on.

I really do like the idea of having all my tools online and ready to use at the touch of the button. So when i came across G.ho.st, I had to stop and take a look. Pronounced ‘Ghost’, it’s one of the most annoying yet gifted URLs I’ve ever seen.

geee – dot – hohhhh – dot – sssssst… probably quite memorable but entirely confusing for your normobs.

Login to Ghost and you get your own desktop within the browser (including lots of different apps, Zoho Office and so on) — everything is hosted on Amazon so your data is safe and secure. A Last.fm client immediately started playing some Eric Clapton as I had a look around. Very smart. You could, I suspect, do a day’s work from it.

“The Windows/Mac model is broken,” says the G.ho.st CEO on their introductory video. I like it. He goes on to ask why we should have to arse about installing applications.

“Hello, there’s an internet now!”

Indeed. I like the concept. I reeeeally like it. There’s a mobile angle too. They recently launched Ghost Mobile which gives you a lightweight interface into your virtual computer.

Alas when I tried accessing http://g.ho.st on my 1st Generation iPhone and my Nokia E90, I was given the main large site and not the mobile version. So there are still a few bugs around the place.

My suggestion? Get an account and poke about with it. It’s free and it’s the first in a next generation of services worthy of your attention.

Get your own free account here: http://g.ho.st/.