What is cloud computing?

[cclloyd9785]

I've heard so much about it, but I still dont understand what it is. Please explain.

 

[Golden]

Try this Cloud computing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[richc46]

Bottom line
You no longer have to buy Windows etc.
It will all be like wireless cell phones. You pay by month
Great for the companies, but will cost you big time

 

[Graemzy]

its more or less programs ya can use online to put it in simple terms!

eg of this in skydrive, you can you ms word online without having it on your computer as well as havin all the storage space on your skydrive account!

 

[Dzomlija]

While in principle it's a good idea being able to use applications online, and to access your documents from anywhere with an internet connection, Cloud Computing, regardless of the hype behind it, is still a long way off.

There are still hundreds of applications that will never be able to work "In The Cloud" and would still require some kind of local computer with Windows, Mac OS or Linux on it to work. Video and Image editing software comes to mind. And what about games? No even if you use a console like the XBox or a Playstation will the cloud ever be able to deal with the badwidth requirements.

Which brings me to my next point.

Cloud Computing as envisioned will never be able to function correctly because of bandwidth and cost limitations in some markets. Sure, it may be fine in some countries where internet connectivity is cheap.

But, as is the case here in South Africa, thins change for the worse for Cloud Computing. Here is what I pay per month to be able to connect to the internet:

Telephone Landline| R120 |Required to qualify for DSL Option
DSL384 "Upgrade" to voice line| R130 |
Uncapped ISP| R450 |with bandwidth usage limitations imposed
TOTAL | R700 |Appximately US$100

Now, you may be wondering why I'm using a 384kbps line? Well, if I was to upgrade to a 4096kbps line (the fastest line available here), then it's a different story altogether:

Telephone Landline| R120 |Required to qualify for DSL Option
DSL4096 "Upgrade" to voice line| R699 |
Uncapped ISP| R900 |with unlimited bandwidth usage
TOTAL | R1,719 |Appximately US$245

Can you see the difference? If I was to use the cloud, I'd have to accept paying nearly 3 times as much for my internet connection over what I'm already convinced is far too much anyway.

The point I'm trying to make is that for as long as internet connectivity is limited to all but those who can afford it, then Cloud Computing is nothing more than a pipe dream that will never work.

 

[LoWang]

And that's why I support Microsoft! They don't give up on local applications and system. They want a symbiosis and cooperation instead. Also I don't want to let my tuned rig to just lazily sit and get everything from the cloud not having to think about it much because it would be all preprocessed by some server This would also make everything more vulnerable and much more dependent on a big companies to be running properly. Of course there are advantages of a cloud approach. Don't get me wrong, but I think that Chrome OS is not the right solution for example...

 

[James Colbert]

I agree with Peter's assessment. Bad results. The term 'The Cloud', in its current usage is mostly Market Speak, I think. But, IMO, the reality of The Cloud, if it ever comes to pass, will be a security nightmare, which may only be overcome by a completely (and, perhaps, oppressively) regulated internet.

I can't ever see a time where I would allow my data to reside on TC. The numerous scams, hacks, viruses, ID thefts, etc. can't be controlled now. And use of TC apps? What happens when bandwidth drops, or internet connections go out, or you can't pay your bill, or...

Unfortunately, I can see nothing good coming from TC. Inevitably, it would be put to use in some unsavory fashion, probably courtesy of our Govts. It's just too tempting for those of self-serving intentions.

Just my paranoid opinion

James

 

[Flatlands]

Just my paranoid opinion

James

I don't think you are alone, many companies will never put the life on a cloud and watch its data come raining back in a thunderstorm

 

[Cr00zng]

I don't think you are alone, many companies will never put the life on a cloud and watch its data come raining back in a thunderstorm

Maybe not...

Many companies have hard time arguing with the positive financial impact to their budget that cloud computing presents to them. The upfront capital investment is practically none existent, nor do they need to refresh the hardware/software on a periodic basis that also eliminates financial funding for maintenance and support of their own systems or their own private cloud. At the time, at least in the US, when one gig connection to the Internet is quickly becoming a common option with point-to-point link being the other, you'd be surprised just how many companies actually do commit to the cloud. It depends on the size of the company, if it commits partially or fully to the cloud.

On the other hand the security and especially privacy implication of cloud computing is real, as most of you noted in this topic.

In a world where most people voluntarily give up their privacy to public clouds(as in free), such as Google, Facebook, etc, for them moving company data to the cloud poses no issues. It seems interesting that the people who would not be seen half-naked and drunk on the streets, have no problems posting the same pictures in the public cloud. Go figure that the some of the same people are now decision makers in the matter of cloud computing.

Google makes 97% of their revenue from advertisement that is made possible by the public cloud that they provide "free" to the general public. Free as in freely mining the general public's data for profit with the consent, implied or stated, of the said general public. Google also provides semi-private email services for some of the Universities for free of charge; it would be a surprise if they don't do data mining for these services as well.

Cloud providers will find a way to follow Google's footsteps and now even Microsoft jumps on this bandwagon, "Into the cloud...".

This means only one thing, in the near future the mined data will be widely available for everyone. The next time you'd want to date a girl, or a guy depending on your preference, you can do a search for him or her for low monthly cost of $3.99. You can find out their past history, education, financial status, medical history, and if they ever posted a half naked drunk picture of themselves...

 

[WartHog]

I agree with the previous posts concerning use of the cloud. There is good and bad in each system. I have been using SkyDrive for about 5 months to edit a book written by a family member. She lives in another state and it would be impossible for us to mail stuff back and forth (or enven email). Just too much of an opportunity to miss things in transit. So, SkyDrive was the perfect solution for us. I know we may be compromised even though it is password protected, but we had to take that risk.

I am very much a believer in protecting your information and limiting the amount you share. I know a lot of people who don't hesitate to post their lives (in all the sordid detail) on Facebook and the like. I think this is all leading up to eventual use of shared media and I also think we are already using the "cloud" in a major way.

 

[James Colbert]

Google also provides semi-private email services for some of the Universities for free of charge; it would be a surprise if they don't do data mining for these services as well.

Cloud providers will find a way to follow Google's footsteps and now even Microsoft jumps on this bandwagon, "Into the cloud...".

Actually, Google is not really the pioneer of this, other than to intorduce it to the internet on a much larger scale. We (the public) have no idea just how much data has been collected on each of us, and has been for quite some time.

Use a credit card? Your name is connected to every purchase you've made with it, along with information of where you bank, balances, payment history, etc. This goes for however many CCs you have.

Have a grocery store (or any store...) rewards or discount card? Data in place, no mining necessary. No need even for a CC here, as you register with your personal info to obtain it. A CC is frosting on that cake.

The reality is that The Cloud is an extension of a system that has already been in place and designed to profit at the expense of our 'private' information.

The real danger here is when all of this data is put together and a complet profile is born (more complete than we can imagine).

Ever see the movie 'Eagle Eye'? A bit extreme, but nonetheless a very real concept. To think that there won't be those entities that won't take advantage of it, corporate, government or otherwise, is merely closing one's eyes to the (soon coming) reality.

Oh, and every post we make here and elsewhere? A permanent and easily obtained record of our opinions, thoughts, vents, rants, etc. Privacy is an endangered 'concept.

Sounds paranoid, doesn't it. Perhaps as crazy as the thought of a man walking on the moon?

More of my paranoic spew...

James

 

[Cr00zng]

Actually, Google is not really the pioneer of this, other than to intorduce it to the internet on a much larger scale. We (the public) have no idea just how much data has been collected on each of us, and has been for quite some time.

While other companies had collected data on us for years, they did not share it with other companies and seldom sold their collection of data about their customers. As such, the collection has not been available to the highest bidder.

It is Google that introduced it to the Internet on a large scale. During this process they've also monopolized the large scale roll out successfully without any government objection. There are people who believe that Google has already achieved total control of the Internet; here's an attached PDF file from googlemonitor.com that seems to think just that.

The reality is that The Cloud is an extension of a system that has already been in place and designed to profit at the expense of our 'private' information.

The real danger here is when all of this data is put together and a complete profile is born (more complete than we can imagine).

The cloud is not an extension of the information collected by grocery stores, shops, etc. The public cloud had became available first when the WEB 1.0 (uni-directional) changed to WEB 2.0 (bi-directional). People have flocked to voluntarily give up their privacy information with the intent to share it with their friends. Not realizing that the "free" service offered by Google, FaceBook, etc has a catch...

Ever see the movie 'Eagle Eye'? A bit extreme, but nonetheless a very real concept. To think that there won't be those entities that won't take advantage of it, corporate, government or otherwise, is merely closing one's eyes to the (soon coming) reality.

I haven't seen it yet but what I've heard about the movie, it is not in the near future; it is already here.

Oh, and every post we make here and elsewhere? A permanent and easily obtained record of our opinions, thoughts, vents, rants, etc. Privacy is an endangered 'concept.

Having this forum pages include the Google analytic scripts and other end user monitoring scripts most certainly help Google to keep a tab on us. There's a reason why Google already has 800 TBs of data collected already...

Sounds paranoid, doesn't it. Perhaps as crazy as the thought of a man walking on the moon?

More of my paranoid spew...

I hate to upset you, but for me it sounds more like a reality now.

Alternatively, I could be just as paranoid as you...

Cr00zng

 

[ZORG]

Many people have had a hard time preventing infos leaking, system crashing caused by softwares mal-functions and virus from f* up their jobs . Hackers are ubiquitous, not to mention crackers and a whole bunch of bad guys that may compromise your work very easily if you don´t watch out.

First thing that spring to my mind and i think is the most worrying one, is the information leaking. My job is to create schedules. As far as i´m concerned, there´s no way in hell one can make me believe that i´d be safe anywhere other than my company servers. As Flatlands said, nobody would be crazy enough to create a schedule, as in my case, that will be used in negotiating a contract and let it exposed to only god knows what or who. Of course, another issue that a body gotta take on board is that when it comes to self-independence, you´d be in their hands so as to speak.

Some years ago, some companies had already tried, in a experimental study, to set up servers where users would use the softwares installed in the server instead of having them installed in their pcs. Well, as it seems, it didn´t turn out very well.

Not to tell that i´m picking on "Cloud computing" i´d like to ask 3 simple questions:
- Is there an emergency plan if the server crash when i´m doing my job?
- What if i´m in a business meeting and i have to present a schedule and the server has an authentication problem and deny me access to the data?
- What would happen if i´m working to a tight dealine and my dealine is " I need this tomorrow first thing" and the internet crashes?
zorg