Whenever I find myself getting caught up in the verbiage of an industry, I feel compelled to look at it from the “average Joe” point of view. Simply put, “Cool word, what does it mean to me?”
Much has been made about “Cloud” computing recently. The term refers to computing done via the internet. Think using software or a service that doesn’t reside on your computer. (Perhaps you use Google Docs) But is this buzzword really the same s#@t in a different shovel?
This little bit of video featuring Frank Gillett from Forrester Research addresses it well.
think about creating a document, modifying an image, or even backing up
my data on a platform that isn’t sitting right next to me in a fan
cooled box. But most of that is based purely on security and
privacy issues. Afterall, it’s not really a cloud, ya know. It’s sitting on a server somewhere…yeah, I’m a bit paranoid.
But the fact is, “cloud” computing
has been around for years and, because we Americans love to be mobile (now think cell phones, laptops, even portable radios and cars) it only
stands to reason there is more interest in the “cloud”. We also need to
chalk it up to marketing. Cloud Computing…I feel hipper just saying
it.
So, all of us will be spending more time working and playing in the “cloud”. If you aren’t, many of those younger than you are. So keep thinking beyond your desktop…at maybe get a faster internet connection.
Be Sociable