Desktop Integration Management for Portable, Zero-Install and Virtualized Applications

  • Type:Bachelor Thesis
  • Date:04.08.2011
  • Supervisor:

    Prof. Dr. Frank Bellosa, Konrad Miller

  • Graduand:Bastian Eicher
  • Links:PDF
  • Abstract:

    Classic installation systems suffer from a number of disadvantages, such as version conflicts and a lack of user control. A number of approaches to mitigate these disadvantages exist, for example portable applications, zero-install systems and application virtualization. However, these approaches do not provide the same end-user experience since they lack proper desktop integration.

    In this work we determine the improvements necessary to allow a zero-install system to provide the same level of desktop integration users are accustomed to from classic installation systems while providing more user control and retaining a conflict-free environment.

    We developed a domain-specific language, extending the application-metadata language of an existing zero-install system as a proof of concept as well as a real-world-suitable system. The accompanying tool set is capable of capturing systems changes made by classic installation systems and automatically generating desktop integration metadata from them.

    BibTex:

    @bachelorthesis{eicher11desktopintegration,
    author = {Bastian Eicher},
    title = {Desktop Integration Management for Portable, Zero-Install and Virtualized Applications},
    type = {Bachelor Thesis},
    address = {System Architecture Group, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany},
    month = aug # "4",
    year = 2011,
    url = {http://os.ibds.kit.edu/}
    }