People are starting to openly discuss potential projects to work on that can be used in the VMware Applicance Challenge. Sounds like some interesting ideas floating around out there.
rcardona2k lists the following:
N-in-1 Linux Installer Distro Picker : Package all these Linuxes on a DVD.iso: Open SuSE, Fedora, Darn Small, Puppy, Ubuntu, Debian, Gentoo, etal. and pick one. It comes up fully configured with VMware Tools and network access.
Blog-in-a-Box : An Appliance setup to serve up a one of these blogger tools: WordPress, TypePad, LiveJournal, etal. – VM is ready to host at an xSP or at home. Easily portable/expandable/clonable when you hit it big.
Domain/Site-in-a-Box : A Wizard sets up whole or parts of a small business domain (LAMP, Forums, SMTP/IMAP/POP3 Services, DNS/DDNS, etc. all (re-)configurable, ready-to-host in an xSP or your own connection.
RemotePC-in-a-box : Anything/everything you need to securely access work-from-home, home-from-work, or from a Wi-Fi hotspot. Sets up working sets of Appliances that you can connect to from work and gives you reverse remote access at home. Basically a Network Admin's nightmare.
Digital Media Centre-in-a-box : This Appliance would search your whole home/small business network for DVR lineups, music, photos, videos, software packages, you name it and index them like a search engine.
TrustedPC-in-a-box : This is an Appliance that uses an ISO to keep read-only security software that scans your systems (like MBSA) and keeps a cryptographic checksum log of critical trusted computing files in small attached VMDK or USB fob. If you re-scan any system later so you can see what’s changed. This is a TripWire-like function but in an Appliance.
VirtualGrid-in-a-box : Some cool distributed/grid application that scales as it snowballs larger and larger as users download and run it. This would be like a SETI@home or the Great Internet Mersenne Prime search project. Obviously I need to work on the content
plus a screensaver that offers the eye candy to make this viral.
Portable Virtual Desktop/Office : The smallest working set of applications you need to have a virtual desktop. Whether that's a bunch of games
or some open Office and/or WINE, or every developer tool conceived.
And ccostan offers these ideas:
On a personal Note :
Streaming appliance - A VM that I could fire up and with a web browser, point it at a collection of Media Files (MP3s, MOV, MPG, AVI etc) and have them stream on the web. Many of the conversion programs out there are command line and complex. This VM would be like a filter. Any Media in -> Flash movie out or whatever stream you like.
On a professional Note :
VMWare Tools Manager Appliance - VM will autodetect other VMs on the network and query their tool Status and 'push' silent upgrades of Tools to VMs. Web Interface could allow admins to push the installs or automate and schedule the whole thing. Option Email reporting etc..