4 ms·

There's more information in my post at http://aws.typepad.com/aws/2013/11/amazon-workspaces-desktop-computing-in-the-cloud.html http://aws.typepad.com/aws/2013/

There's more information in my post at http://aws.typepad.com/aws/2013/11/amazon-workspaces-desktop-computing-in-the-cloud.html http://aws.typepad.com/aws/2013/11/amazon-workspaces-desktop... [Fixed]

kroger 13y ago
This one seems to be about WorkSpaces: http://aws.typepad.com/aws/2013/11/amazon-workspaces-desktop-computing-in-the-cloud.html http://aws.typepad.com/aws/2013/11/amazon-workspaces-desktop... The one you linked is about AppStream
- jeffbarr 13y ago
  Fixed, not all parts of my brain are thread-safe.
  - cstejerean 13y ago
    The information under "WorkSpaces Feature Set" for Performance appears to be wrong, at least compared to http://aws.amazon.com/workspaces/pricing/ http://aws.amazon.com/workspaces/pricing/ It currently says: Performance - 1 vCPU, 3.75 GiB of memory, and 100 GB of persistent user storage. I believe it should be: Performance - 2 vCPU, 7.5 GiB of memory, and 100 GB of persistent user storage.
    - jeffbarr 13y ago
      The blog post was wrong. Fixed, and thanks!
danso 13y ago
Sorry to be the jerk. Small error in an opening paragraph (probably from a last-minute edit): > Your users can access the applications, documents, and intranet resources that they need to __get their done__, all from the comfort of their desktop computer, laptop, iPad, or Android tablet. Otherwise, thank you for the detailed write up... I almost never watch launch/demo videos
larrys 13y ago
My first question was "can I add my own items to the bundle" (and the answer is yes although that info should be more prominent.) My second thought is the price point is to high but obviously that will come down (However by having a high price point you will invite competition.) I'd like to use this just to be able to use the vsphere app which runs only under windows. So from a mac I have to connect to a windows box by screen sharing. I could use this. But the $35 price point is way to high for doing that.
- luma 13y ago
  The $35/mo is a very aggressive price for VDI in general. Their TCO calculations for on-premises VDI[1] isn't too far off the mark. Microsoft still needs to be paid and SPLA licenses presumably account for a good share of what you're seeing here. Amazon doesn't have a history of entering the market at a high price point. It might be high for your use case, but your use case isn't what they're after. VDI is a desktop replacement where you run all your applications, not just one or two on an as-needed basis. [1] http://i.imgur.com/njlJklF.png http://i.imgur.com/njlJklF.png
jhartmann 13y ago
Jeff, Are there any plans to offer something like ubuntu images in the future for VDI? Many developers really don't use windows much anymore, and you could probably offer a more competitive price point when there is no need for licensed software. Obviously we can set up our own stuff using raw EC2 instances, but having a simple solution like this is definitely appealing.
- jeffbarr 13y ago
  We'll certainly keep an open mind and think about offering other OS's in the future. Like every AWS offering, we launch an MVP and then iterate rapidly.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- mark212 13y ago
  I'm guessing the HN crowd isn't really the target for this offering, though its clients may be. Having the full MS suite is a big deal, especially where there's ancillary storage right on board (and similarly firewalled). A very interesting move by Amazon. Wish it was available by the hour, though.
sirius87 13y ago
Jeff, thanks for the write up. You mentioned 'Windows 7 desktop experience'. Is this Windows Server 2008 themed to look like Windows 7? AFAIK, Microsoft has restrictions on putting Windows 7 on cloud instances. This matters due to font-rendering differences between desktop and server editions, and my use-case is around web design.
- couradical 13y ago
  It might be referring to the "Desktop Experience" feature of Server 2008R2, which applies the Win7 basic UI and allows theming, but not necessarily Aero or any of the graphics intensive pieces. It also installs the "desktop" apps.
  - tanzam75 13y ago
    You can get Aero on Server 2008 R2. You just have to install an accelerated graphics driver.
- jlgaddis 13y ago
  From http://aws.amazon.com/workspaces/details/ http://aws.amazon.com/workspaces/details/ "All WorkSpaces Bundles provide the Windows 7 Experience to users (provided by Windows Server 2008 R2) ..."
- tanzam75 13y ago
  > This matters due to font-rendering differences between desktop and server editions, and my use-case is around web design. I'm curious. What are the font-rendering differences? Are you sure it isn't caused by Remote Desktop or by the difference between software and hardware rendering?

There's more information in my post at http://aws.typepad.com/aws/2013/11/amazon-workspaces-desktop-computing-in-the-cloud.html http://aws.typepad.com/aws/2013/11/amazon-workspaces-desktop... [Fixed]

kroger 13y ago

This one seems to be about WorkSpaces: http://aws.typepad.com/aws/2013/11/amazon-workspaces-desktop-computing-in-the-cloud.html http://aws.typepad.com/aws/2013/11/amazon-workspaces-desktop... The one you linked is about AppStream

jeffbarr 13y ago
Fixed, not all parts of my brain are thread-safe.
- cstejerean 13y ago
  The information under "WorkSpaces Feature Set" for Performance appears to be wrong, at least compared to http://aws.amazon.com/workspaces/pricing/ http://aws.amazon.com/workspaces/pricing/ It currently says: Performance - 1 vCPU, 3.75 GiB of memory, and 100 GB of persistent user storage. I believe it should be: Performance - 2 vCPU, 7.5 GiB of memory, and 100 GB of persistent user storage.
  - jeffbarr 13y ago
    The blog post was wrong. Fixed, and thanks!

danso 13y ago

Sorry to be the jerk. Small error in an opening paragraph (probably from a last-minute edit): > Your users can access the applications, documents, and intranet resources that they need to __get their done__, all from the comfort of their desktop computer, laptop, iPad, or Android tablet. Otherwise, thank you for the detailed write up... I almost never watch launch/demo videos

larrys 13y ago

My first question was "can I add my own items to the bundle" (and the answer is yes although that info should be more prominent.) My second thought is the price point is to high but obviously that will come down (However by having a high price point you will invite competition.) I'd like to use this just to be able to use the vsphere app which runs only under windows. So from a mac I have to connect to a windows box by screen sharing. I could use this. But the $35 price point is way to high for doing that.

luma 13y ago
The $35/mo is a very aggressive price for VDI in general. Their TCO calculations for on-premises VDI[1] isn't too far off the mark. Microsoft still needs to be paid and SPLA licenses presumably account for a good share of what you're seeing here. Amazon doesn't have a history of entering the market at a high price point. It might be high for your use case, but your use case isn't what they're after. VDI is a desktop replacement where you run all your applications, not just one or two on an as-needed basis. [1] http://i.imgur.com/njlJklF.png http://i.imgur.com/njlJklF.png

jhartmann 13y ago

Jeff, Are there any plans to offer something like ubuntu images in the future for VDI? Many developers really don't use windows much anymore, and you could probably offer a more competitive price point when there is no need for licensed software. Obviously we can set up our own stuff using raw EC2 instances, but having a simple solution like this is definitely appealing.

jeffbarr 13y ago
We'll certainly keep an open mind and think about offering other OS's in the future. Like every AWS offering, we launch an MVP and then iterate rapidly.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
mark212 13y ago
I'm guessing the HN crowd isn't really the target for this offering, though its clients may be. Having the full MS suite is a big deal, especially where there's ancillary storage right on board (and similarly firewalled). A very interesting move by Amazon. Wish it was available by the hour, though.

sirius87 13y ago

Jeff, thanks for the write up. You mentioned 'Windows 7 desktop experience'. Is this Windows Server 2008 themed to look like Windows 7? AFAIK, Microsoft has restrictions on putting Windows 7 on cloud instances. This matters due to font-rendering differences between desktop and server editions, and my use-case is around web design.

couradical 13y ago
It might be referring to the "Desktop Experience" feature of Server 2008R2, which applies the Win7 basic UI and allows theming, but not necessarily Aero or any of the graphics intensive pieces. It also installs the "desktop" apps.
- tanzam75 13y ago
  You can get Aero on Server 2008 R2. You just have to install an accelerated graphics driver.
jlgaddis 13y ago
From http://aws.amazon.com/workspaces/details/ http://aws.amazon.com/workspaces/details/ "All WorkSpaces Bundles provide the Windows 7 Experience to users (provided by Windows Server 2008 R2) ..."
tanzam75 13y ago
> This matters due to font-rendering differences between desktop and server editions, and my use-case is around web design. I'm curious. What are the font-rendering differences? Are you sure it isn't caused by Remote Desktop or by the difference between software and hardware rendering?