Ubuntu WebApps is a new feature that will be integrated with Ubuntu 12.10 Quantal Quetzal by default. This new feature allows websites such as Gmail, Last.fm, Facebook, Google Docs, Yahoo and many others to be integrated with the desktop. They will use Unity support HUD and you’ll receive desktop notifications, quicklists, ALT-TAB support and they will integrate with the Ubuntu messaging menu.
At OSCON Mark Shuttleworth revealed Ubuntu Web Apps , a new feature due to land in October’s Ubuntu 12.10 release. It will enable Ubuntu users to run online applications like Facebook, Twitter, Last.FM, Ebay and GMail direct from the desktop. Making web applications behave like their desktop counterparts improves the user experience dramatically; it’s faster and it reduces the proliferation of browser tabs and windows that can quickly make a desktop unmanageable. The community will be able to add support for more websites in future and the API documentation can be found at Ubuntu website .
For the time being, only Firefox and Chromium browsers are supported and Google Chrome isn’t supported since the PPA installs a custom Chromium build and Google Chrome can’t be uploaded to a PPA due to its license.
While this feature will be available in Ubuntu 12.10 by default, you can install it in Ubuntu 12.04 also. To add the PPA and install the WebApps feature, use the commands below:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webapps/preview sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install unity-webapps-preview
Note: The WebApps feature won’t work properly if you’re using a PPA in Ubuntu 12.04 that installs a newer Unity version, such as the Unity Revamped PPA. Hence, it is advised to purge that PPA before the installation to use the full features of Ubuntu WebApps.
Once installed, when you open the supported web page, you will recieve a pop-up message. Click “Integrate” for Firefox or “Yes” for Chromium and you’re ready to go. If you don’t want a website to integrate with the desktop, simply don’t click the Integrate/Yes button for that website.
If you make a mid not to use this WebApps feature after installation, you can remove the same using below commands.
sudo apt-get install ppa-purge sudo ppa-purge ppa:webapps/preview sudo apt-get remove gnome-control-center-signon signond signon-keyring-extension signon-plugin-oauth2 signon-ui libunity-webapps-chromium unity-chromium-extension unity-lens-gdocs unity-lens-photo unity-scope-flickr xul-ext-webaccounts xul-ext-unity xul-ext-websites-integration
This feature will radically change users’ expectations of the web!
