Canonical, the company behind the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution, is preparing to launch a new Web service called Ubuntu One, which will bring cloud synchronization and collaboration features to the Linux desktop. The service is under heavy development, but it is expected to be ready for widespread use when Ubuntu 9.10, codenamed Karmic Koala, is released in October.

Canonical began inviting Ubuntu community members to participate in a closed beta test on Monday. Ars took it for a spin to see how it performs, also speaking with Canonical engineer Elliot Murphy and product manager Matt Griffin, who described the technology behind Ubuntu One and provided some insight into Canonical's future plans for the service.

Ubuntu One will support tight desktop integration. To achieve that goal, the developers are building client software that will make the service a seamless part of the desktop experience. The software is currently available to beta testers in an Ubuntu Personal Package Archive (PPA) hosted on Launchpad. The source code will be released soon under open licenses and is said to be usable on other Linux distributions.

Ubuntu One file sync

At the current stage of development, the primary feature of Ubuntu One is file synchronization. The client software creates an Ubuntu One folder in the user's home directory and will keep the contents of this folder synchronized across multiple computers. The software will detect when files are modified on the local filesystem and will upload the changes to the Web service, which will then propagate the data to the rest of the user's computers.

Ubuntu One users will get 2GB of storage for free. Additional storage will be available for a price. According to the Ubuntu One website, users can get 10GB for $10 per month. Murphy says that Canonical is still trying to determine the best pricing structure. The cost of the 10GB plan could change in the future as Canonical attempts to make the service more competitive.

The synchronization software integrates with GNOME's Nautilus file manager. Special emblems are displayed on the file icons to indicate their synchronization status. The file manager will also show a special bar when the user is viewing a folder that is controlled by the synchronization software. The bar includes a button that can be used to connect and disconnect from the Ubuntu One service.

Individual folders that are stored on Ubuntu One can be shared with other users. This feature can be activated in Nautilus through the right-click contextual menu. You specify the e-mail address of the user with whom you wish to share the files, who will then receive an e-mail that asks him or her to confirm the share invitation. If the user confirms it, the folder that you shared will automatically appear in that user's "Shared With Me" folder. Support for sharing is still a bit limited, but the developers say that the software will provide more powerful and flexible sharing options as it matures.

An Ubuntu One shared file invitation

Ubuntu One shared files in Nautilus

The Ubuntu One website provides a simple Web interface that makes it possible for users to manage and access their files from anywhere, including computers that don't have the client software installed. Murphy says that the current implementation of the Web interface is primarily a placeholder that has been made available for testing purposes and that it will be replaced soon with a much nicer version that is currently under heavy development.

Ubuntu One's synchronization functionality is very similar to that of Dropbox, a file sync tool that we looked at last year. Ubuntu One lacks some of Dropbox's advanced features, such as support for file versioning and history. Dropbox is also ahead in performance and offers a few other unique advantages, like cross-platform compatibility.

Murphy says that Canonical does not plan to build native Windows and Mac OS X clients for Ubuntu One, but he says that third-party developers could potentially do it by porting the underlying components of the Linux client to other platforms and then building platform-specific shell integration features on top. He remarked that Canonical will happily accept patches that aim to accommodate such efforts. He also said that the company intends to deliver a fully functional KDE version. In the future, WebDAV support could be provided to give users another way to access their Ubuntu One files when they use other platforms.