ZCubes is free web-based software that is intended for the creation of documents - including web pages, presentations, drawings, albums, and portals. It is built using DHTML/JavaScript, CSS, AJAX, DirectX, XML/XSLT, and VML on the client with ASP.NET and J2EE on the server.

Overview

ZCubes platform is an attempt to give large sets of functions that are typically delivered using segmented applications through a single interface. With the advent of web browsers with native graphics, multimedia, and layout capabilities, several productivity platforms (e.g., Google Docs, ZOHO, ThinkFree) have started moving to the net.

The unique aspect of ZCubes can be seen as provision of functionality using the client browser itself using Javascript, instead of interacting heavily (through AJAX) with the server to achieve the function.

Modes

The platform integrates text, video, handwriting, and vector drawing . Different modes can be used to switch to different functions in a seamless manner. Users also use the drag-drop manipulation and recursive containment of pictures inside vector drawings to create variety of documents. The platform can be classified as a multi-functional platform. Due to the seamless vector graphics functionality, ZCubes can be used as an online drawing and paint tool, and also as an interactive whiteboard/blackboard with integrated browsing capability.

ZCubes can also be thought of to be a web-based development platform that integrates large sets of functions. The platform can also be a container for widgets, RSS feeds and other websites - an ability that make it behave as an online operating system like G.ho.st.

ZCubes exhibits two operating modes. In the interactive browsing-editing mode, the application provides full-features to the users. The output of the editing process (termed as an experience) behaves as a stand-alone page, that can then be send to the servers for editing.

Browser Support

Full version runs on Internet Explorer, and basic version supports FireFox. ZCubes stores its output in HTML/VML format.

Vector editing is available only in Internet Explorer. SVG is used to display the simpler drawings and handwriting in Mozilla/Firefox. Other browsers like Safari are not supported, though documents can be viewed in most browsers.

Features

ZCubes uses a browser-in-browser concept to give "immersive" browsing. The platform is DHTML based, and allows direct editing of HTML. Also, hyperlinks inside ZCubes pages open in an internal browser, effectively containing the browsing experience without having to leave the page while navigating the link. This allows the user to construct web documents while browsing the web.

ZCubes enables users to drag-drop web-content, colors, special effects, animations, and files into and from its browser-based interface to create customized layouts. Direct drag-drop upload from local drives is available using an activex control.

ZCubes editor supports creation of documents, presentations and drawings online (and spreadsheets, of late). However, the difference can be noted to be the mixing of slides, drawings, document pieces, pictures, music and videos (each as separate ZCubes), all in one page (which is named "ZSpace"). This is counter to conventional documents that can be classified as either a word-processing document or a presentation of slides - but not both. The ZCubes platform supports free-positioning of elements, and multiple layers that can each contain several cubes. Editing of a cube can be done like word-processing or as HTML. The online editor has a paint panel to create vector drawing and it can also be used to mimic handwriting.

Documents prepared by ZCubes can be (a) saved locally, (b) published on-line as a webpage (c) saved as wiki, (d) emailed (e) send as a "Cubee" (a ZCube that is sent to an email address).

ZCubes browser has in-built wikipedia searching capability.

Calci is an online calculation engine provided within ZCubes. It supports most of the mathematical, statistical and financial functions provided by spreadsheet applications. Calci can be referenced from slides, documents or any webpages created using ZCubes and can refer to other Calci tables for information.

Technology

Recent versions of ZCubes (2007) are known to be enabled for Semantic Web, with all resources described with RDF, FOAF, and other formats. The Office Suite functionalities contained within the platform tends closer toward later generations of Office Suite in the evolutionary path .

Documents created using ZCubes are in HTML with embedded Javascript, and not proprietary. However, conversion of popular document formats is not directly supported, unlike other Web based office tools like Google Docs. Page based editing like conventional word-processors is also not available.

Scripting

ZCubes are scriptable using ZScript - an API that uses Javascript. Dynamically loaded Javascript add-ins enhance the basic platform with domain specific logic.

History

ZCubes has been available on the web since Oct 2006.

Dec 2006 - Public Alpha Release

April 2007 - Public Beta Release. Cubee Released at Web 2.0 Conference, San Francisco.

May 2007 - 1st Full Release, CUNY Web 3.0 Keynote.

Jul 2007 - AO100 Listed.

Sept 2007 - CALCI pre-announced, an integrated Javascript Full-Scale Client-Side Calculation Spreadsheet Platform.

Dec 2007 - 2nd Full Release. Named Top 5 web applications.

Competitors

ZOHO

ThinkFree

Google Docs & Spreadsheets

Gh.os.t

Microsoft Office

Google Notebook

Twine