Open Source Software as the Gateway to Platform-Neutral Portability

Many times I am forced to use a locked computer that has limited access online and zero ability to add software that I need for other projects. This point of frustration is why I believe initiatives such as the Open Source project and, more importantly, Portable Apps will be a vital resource in the next couple of years. Portable Apps turns a thumb drive with at least 2 GB of storage space into a fully functional working environment in the form factor of a shell that appears on the right side of the taskbar in Windows. The shell includes an office suite, email program and a lite version of Firefox, which allows for more freedom when using cloud computing applications when compared to IE browser that is on many of the lockdown machines. The computer is not affected by Portable Apps, and there should be no effect on the security or reliability of the workplace network. This software is a fantastic starting point, and it looks like that organization is trying to create entirely functioning operating systems that work solely from the thumb drive, no software is installed on the computer. I hope that this work in the Open Source realm will allow for the development of platform-neutral portability of works-in-progress and will allow for the creator to not be limited to a single operating system or work environment.