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Microsoft Businesses Software Utilities (Apple) Apple

iDisk Utility for Windows XP 38

Posted by pudge from the something-about-windows dept.
mister_tim writes " Apple has released an iDisk Utility for Windows XP. It could be useful under a mixed environment or those (like me) stuck using XP at work and such." Is there a way to mount iDisks on Linux, too?
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iDisk Utility for Windows XP More

iDisk Utility for Windows XP

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  • iDisk uses WebDAV (Score:5, Informative)

    by Whatchamacallit ( 21721 ) on Friday February 28, 2003 @02:18AM (#5404015) Homepage
    You can connect to iDisk using the cadaver software which is an open source WebDAV tool that makes it like FTP. It runs under Linux just fine.

    Other Linux WebDAV tools must be available, I haven't looked lately. Last I looked, the cadaver command line tool was the most compatible and it feels just like FTP with a few minor changes. Most Linux users are savvy enough to setup a WebDAV client. BTW, you could setup the Apache WebDAV module and configure it to be your own iDisk. (you'll have to override the idisk.mac.com hostname to use the Apple tools and make it think it's really .Mac) There's a few O'Reilly articles at the http://macdevcenter.com

    WinXP does not actually need the iDisk tool, as Web Folders can connect to an iDisk with no problem. Just add a network place and away you go! The tool makes it easier for clueless users. It also adds the ability to adjust public folder permissions and it has a nice little disk space bar along the top to let you know how much space you have, etc. It's the same as the .Mac iDisk tool on Mac OS X. The main advantage is you can direct users to download the tool and it will be easier than having you tell them how to use Web Folders.

    Of course if you are using iDisk then you most likely have a Mac so you don't really need the tool. MSIE adds the Web Folders feature to older versions of Windows so again, you can attach to iDisk in a fairly easy fashion.

    • Re:iDisk uses WebDAV (Score:5, Informative)

      by Dot.Zeile ( 461136 ) on Friday February 28, 2003 @03:04AM (#5404166)
      I am using RH7.3, GNOME and Nautilus. You can type "http://idisk.mac.com/YOUR_ACCOUNT/" in location editbox in Nautilus, and type ENTER, then you will be able to log-in into iDisk service. First you might see "cannot display" message, but, selecting "show as icon" will resolve that. After that, choose adding bookmark to put it in your bookmark list. Then, next time, Nautilus remembers that it is WebDAV access, and always you can handle that location as local folder. If you only need GRAPHICAL file manipulation, it is the easiest way, I think.
    • OS X users don't really need the iDisk tool, either, as we can connect automatically to ours from the Go menu. It does simplify things for connecting to other people's Public folders, but I've not had a need for that so far.

      I've also had a Linux user from Slashdot log onto my Public folder on my iDisk and send me some files, over dialup even!

    • Hey, I have a question. Well, make that two.

      I've been hearing a lot about WebDAV lately, and the more I learn about it, the more I think it's the perfect solution for remote, crossplatform file sharing. I've been doing some work with a decentralized team, each of us working from our home office, doing technical writing and PR services. We need a remote fileserver for storing common files, especially documents in progress. Something like iDisk would be nice, but none of us are on a mac right now (it's currently a mix of Linux and WindowsXP). I'd run my own, except I'm working from home, and my ISP doesn't like me running servers from my system. I have an account with a great hosting provider, but they have FrontPage extensions installed on their servers, and FP somehow conflicts with mod_dav. My question: Is anyone aware of a commercial DAV service? Even a decent hosting service that would be willing to run mod_dav would be great.

      Second, has anyone actually got davfs to work? I've tried both davfs and davfs2 (on a fairly vanilla RedHat 8.0 box), and neither one works. davfs1 gives me mount:no such device errors, while davfs2 says something about an invalid mount point. Any ideas?

      Thanks a ton...

    • Konqueror (Score:2, Informative)

      by AnEmbodiedMind ( 612071 )
      Apparently Konqueror can access webdav...

      webdav://www.something.com

      Havn't tried it though...

  • XP must be "special" (Score:5, Informative)

    by topologist ( 644470 ) on Friday February 28, 2003 @02:22AM (#5404028)
    Since an iDisk can be viewed via the WebDAV extensions to HTTP. I've used an iDisk under win me (shudder) and win2k (see this link [apple.com]. Wonder why the pastel coloured OS needs something extra. On linux, you should be able to mount the iDisk via WebDavFS. I haven't tried this, but it should be possible. See this sourceforge page [sourceforge.net]
    • XP can connect by simply adding a network place. But it doesn't allow one to manage the account or change permissions, etc.

      It also makes it much simpler for Mac users. i.e. they just email a link to download the XP iDisk tool rather than try to explain how to connect to a WebDAV resource.
    • One thing that sucks with webdav integration in Win2K is that it looks like a normal network file system, yet it's not (not accessible from the command line, you can't just click on a webdav mounted mp3 and have it open in winamp, etc). Maybe this apple tool it better that way?

  • My experience. (Score:4, Funny)

    by bluesoul88 ( 609555 ) <{bluesoul} {at} {thelegendofmax.com}> on Friday February 28, 2003 @02:22AM (#5404031) Homepage
    "Is there a way to mount iDisks on Linux, too?"

    Well, I've always had good experience with finishing nails and a 16 oz. rip hammer.
  • iDisk uses the standard WebDAV protocol which has always been supported by Windows XP. You can add an iDisk to your "Network Places" just like FTP or Samba.
  • I was only saying within the last few weeks how good it would be for Apple to increase market share by releasing Safari for Windows. With iDisk out, it looks more positive for software such as iTunes to follow to support the iPod, and perhaps Safari after that

    • You are missing why they did this... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Llywelyn ( 531070 ) on Friday February 28, 2003 @03:56AM (#5404362) Homepage
      They have exactly *zero* reason to release iTunes, Safari, or any number of other things for Windows. They have very good reasons for releasing a utility such as this.

      If they released iTunes w/ iPod support for windows, what does it gain them? There is already a company (SoundJam IIRC), producing software that interfaces with the iPod, so they aren't going to sell more of those, they aren't going to turn a profit from it if they give it away for free (they already sell a "windows" version of the iPod), and they aren't going to influence more people to buy macs (more the reverse, actually).

      If they release Safari, what does it gain them? They would be going into a situation where there is a monopoly on the browser and they have no quick way to fix it, and by providing an *outstanding* browser on the Mac, they give windows users one more reason to Switch.

      Finally, Safari and more and more of iTunes have been written in ObjC w/ Cocoa. This would make porting slightly difficult, since they would have to be rewritten almost from the ground up (Apple would not likely use OpenSTEP to make the switch just yet).

      Meanwhile, this utility gives a clear and very public way for Windows XP users to move their documents over to the Mac, easing the Switch when they do decide to make it. It is one more reason *to* make the switch: they are easing the transition. It also gives them the ability to take greater advantage of a .Mac account and give them more incentive to buy into that, which is just icing on the cake for Apple.

      Repeat to yourself over and over again until you burn it into your memory: Apple is a Hardware Company, Apple is a Hardware Company...

      • Re:You are missing why they did this... (Score:4, Insightful)

        by trash eighty ( 457611 ) on Friday February 28, 2003 @06:53AM (#5404752) Homepage
        another reason is to help Mac home users who use PCs at work and want to transfer files home using their iDisk.
      • Finally, Safari and more and more of iTunes have been written in ObjC w/ Cocoa. This would make porting slightly difficult, since they would have to be rewritten almost from the ground up (Apple would not likely use OpenSTEP to make the switch just yet).

        When I was doing WebObjects development, Apple had an Objective-C layer for Windows NT which they sold as part of WebObjects. It worked great: just modify your .nib files (Cocoa UI descriptors) to follow the Windows look-and-feel, and recompile. Of course, Apple has since decomissioned the old Objective-C WebObjects in favor of a J2EE replacement. But I would be shocked if they haven't kept the Windows frameworks alive in some hidden laboratory, if only so they can write strategic cross-platform applications.

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