Your tech career depends on preparing for the cloud

[BCXtreme]

Chrome is probably an operating system loaded on some Google Server/s. So from a maintenance perspective some Google employees will have to monitor and maintain it and the software running on it.

From a users perspective Chrome is comparable a folder on your Windows desktop with shortcuts to your applications.

It is similar to the setup in large corporations where the software applications are located on some company server/s and the employees only have access to the applications and nothing else.

The difference between the Google/Chrome setup and the corporation setup in this case is that Google/Chrome is running in the cloud whereas the corporations software is running on one or more corporation server.

One other thing. I would think that Google/Chrome is optimized by design to run in the cloud whereas I don't believe that W7 is.

That at least is how I see it.

I could be wrong, but I'm fairly certain that Chrome OS itself does have to be installed on the client computer. But yes, all applications are accessed on the web ("the cloud").

 

[Tepid]

Here is the real question in regards to the Cloud.

Which do you really prefer?

Do you want to have control over your system and info?

Or some part of Gov't or large Organization or Company and not really you?

 

[mr pc]

That is the only question.

 

[BCXtreme]

Here is the real question in regards to the Cloud.

Which do you really prefer?

Do you want to have control over your system and info?

Or some part of Gov't or large Organization or Company and not really you?

That is the only question.

Correct. I personally am insistent about control over my personal information, whether it be computer data, medical records, or anything else.

 

[jimbo45]

That is the only question.

Hi there
I think you've also forgotten the cost -- you'll have to pay per application and for the bandwidth you use.

If I have an EXCEL spreadsheet with say 2 million calculations - all it costs on a home computer is TIME. It won't cost me money to run the spreadsheet. On the Cloud IT WILL - BIG TIME.

In the Cloud you'll pay for Connection / Bandwidth and a whole host of other not necessarily related computer issues -- for example I could be a shareholder in the company -- I want my shares and eventual Pension to go UP so YOU pay while you are connected.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[BCXtreme]

That is the only question.

Hi there
I think you've also forgotten the cost -- you'll have to pay per application and for the bandwidth you use.

If I have an EXCEL spreadsheet with say 2 million calculations - all it costs on a home computer is TIME. It won't cost me money to run the spreadsheet. On the Cloud IT WILL - BIG TIME.

In the Cloud you'll pay for Connection / Bandwidth and a whole host of other not necessarily related computer issues -- for example I could be a shareholder in the company -- I want my shares and eventual Pension to go UP so YOU pay while you are connected.

Cheers
jimbo

By "that is the only question," I'm pretty sure he means it's the only one of significance. After all, I can't imagine that too many people are going to be OK with no privacy, but not OK with the cost.

 

[mr pc]

For those who think Linux will be an alternative to the "Cloud"

Cloud | Ubuntu

I would say that Linux had been the most "Cloud"-like of the OS's prior to the onset of app-puting with mobiles and tablets and soon OS X/Win8

The only reason why Linux may not become a major "Cloud" competitor commercially is not the concept but rather the cost - Linux is built upon affordability and accessibility.

The Cloud professional options at the bottom of the page are quite interesting though, considering the term is barely even mentioned with more prominent certification programs.

 

[Buddahfan]

Chrome is probably an operating system loaded on some Google Server/s. So from a maintenance perspective some Google employees will have to monitor and maintain it and the software running on it.

From a users perspective Chrome is comparable a folder on your Windows desktop with shortcuts to your applications.

It is similar to the setup in large corporations where the software applications are located on some company server/s and the employees only have access to the applications and nothing else.

The difference between the Google/Chrome setup and the corporation setup in this case is that Google/Chrome is running in the cloud whereas the corporations software is running on one or more corporation server.

One other thing. I would think that Google/Chrome is optimized by design to run in the cloud whereas I don't believe that W7 is.

That at least is how I see it.

yes, but windows 7 and vista both have i-scsi which can easily be used to provide cloud storage.

However with the new FCC regulations and the Feds now controlling the Net the Feds could shut down the Internet or part of it and that could include your cloud connection.

If the data is stored locally and your network is running over a LAN or WLAN than users can still retrieve their applications and data and continue to work whereas with cloud they could be shut down along with the Internet.

 

[mr pc]

Yeah it seems proposed govt regulation is in stark contrast of potential development -

Rather than possibly being denied access to the ideas of others, you are denied access to your own data. Oh wait - the may very well want to deny you access to your own data.

How come little public argument from the "Cloud" pushers against govt regs that could adversely affect this new form of computing?

 

[Colonel Travis]

How come little public argument from the "Cloud" pushers against govt regs that could adversely affect this new form of computing?

Because they both want the cloud (for different reasons), and there will be enough exemptions and loopholes written in whatever laws that are to be written, which will immunize those businesses from harm.

 

[mr pc]

So you think there will be dedicated "Clouds" for businesses in comparison to public "Clouds"
I'm guessing a big selling point is that you can access your personal or business data from anywhere you please- So this means you will be on separate "Cloud" structures seeing that business and public "Clouds" will be independent of each other for a myriad of reasons. You may get your personal data blocked/limited due to circumstances, but the business data is free to flow.

Now what about people who have data that intermingles? Not all work and personal stuff is divided nice and cleanly. These possible limitations/tiers/cut-offs could stifle productivity.

Imagine traveling the world and you're forced to access your "Cloud' all the way across the world just to open Solitaire

 

[Colonel Travis]

Who knows what will happen, but I don't think what you put forth, Mr. PC, is entirely out of the question. I cannot imagine everyone on the planet will just throw up their hands and yield to a cloud-only world. Some of them probably won't have a choice, unfortunately, based on where they live. But I also don't think a lot of people know what's down the pike, or how fast it's headed.

 

[Dave76]

There have been companies doing this for many years, one that I know had 'Cloud' (private servers accessed on the internet, use to be called intranet) simple data bases since 1985, the worlds first commercial intranet.
They have progressed to company server based apps mainly for Safety, Training, Service Quality, etc. The main core business proprietary apps are still run on local computers due to the nature of the business. A lot of remote location work.
There is a lot of real time viewing of data from remote locations via the internet, computer controlled machinery integrated for real time analyisis, business reporting, etc.

Private Cloud apps and data storage are nothing new to business.
Most companies have a real need for privacy, which has been possible for many years.

Having used this type of Cloud for many years I still wouldn't want my personal data/info on any Cloud.

 

[Colonel Travis]

Dave76, you are correct. My wife works for a large company that operates the way you describe. My concern is not with that, but with how the rules will ultimately apply to businesses, gov't and consumers, in an Animal Farm kinda way - some clouds are more equal than others.

 

[Dave76]

I agree, that is the big question about the masses jumping to the 'Cloud', big companies are still protecting there data by keeping it on there own servers.

What will happen to the average person's data when put on a server that they have no control over?
What will be the security level?
Who will have access and under what circumstances?

They will not all be equal on many levels.

 

[mr pc]

oh yeah - hosted operations for businesses have been about for awhile. I have often worked for companies using those mode and apparently with little trouble.

But to integrate every system in the world just feels like overkill (especially if it truly isn't necessary)

 

[thehappyman]

Don't usually repeat myself, but the "Cloud Concept" is a total Joke for so many reasons. It will never happen and the people and corporations that think (or hope) this will happen are truly "In the Clouds"

 

[RST101]

Your tech career depends on you preparing for the millennium bug!

Cloud = fail

My stuff stays with me!

 

[BCXtreme]

This article reminds me of the people who insist that someday Windows will be overtaken by Linux or Mac, push-button smartphones will permanently regain popularity, and digital distribution will die out. I see it all across every one of my fields of interest: people that support Idea X generally spend a lot of time and money boasting that someday very soon everyone will be using/following only Idea X and nothing else. And the reason they spend all that time and money is because, if you resign yourself to Idea X, you're essentially supporting it and helping it to rise up. It's kind of like a "self-fulfilling prophecy". They convince you that Idea X is inevitable so effectively, that that conviction ends up being what makes it inevitable.

One of my pet peeves is people like that who say "This is going to happen anyway, so you might as well give up fighting it." As a character in one of my favorite movies says, "No cause is lost. Not if there's still one fool left to fight for it." Each and every one of us will impact the future of technology with the dollars we spend. Cloud computing is not going to drag in the world's 7 billion people, kicking and screaming for local storage, no matter how determined a very few people are to see that happen.

And if the corporate tech world does decide to start a propaganda campaign aimed at making people think they want the Cloud, all the time, for everything, forever? The Internet is still open! All those of us who know the truth can and should fire back with everything we've got. Don't let articles like this one make you go "Oh well ... okay ... ".

 

[Dave76]

+1 well said.

Sad part is, what percentage of the population will fall for that kind of advertising/brainwashing, far too many.
This will subside (probably not go away) as many other 'inevitable' tecnology paths have in the past. With storage becoming physically smaller, larger in volume and cheaper most people won't have any reason not to keep their own data storage.