Cloudier Days Predicted

Back in the late ’90s everyone was talking about thin clients. Companies like Oracle and Sun were banging their drums about low-power computers that would use the power and resources of the Internet or network servers to gain much of their functionality. And this meant that people would be depending on networks, especially the Internet, to store and use their documents. But, the predicted trend never really took off. I think one of the biggest drivers was that thin clients were not really any less expensive than other computers and broadband was not prolific.

A decade later we have more broadband, cheaper chips, and a more powerful network.A decade later Cloud Computing began to gain momentum.



Cloud Computing is very much like the above trend. It also depends on online storage, as well as CPU and resources in the network. Well, this time around, according to Pew Research, Cloud Computing will eclipse the desktop by the end of this decade. And, by the end of 2010, the majority of consumers will be using Internet-based devices (netbooks, tablets, smartphones) instead of PCs. Even in 2008, according to Pew, 69% of Americans had stored data online or used web-based applications - the movement to the cloud was already underway.

So, of course, this begs the question of why the consumer would want to move to the cloud? Here are some reasons I think the Cloud Computing trend is a plus for you and me.

• I want my stuff when I want it - and that can be anywhere. If our information is already in the cloud, I don’t have to think about making it available or replicating it. By default, my information is accessible if I have an Internet connection.

• The “appliances” (tablets, netbooks, and smartphones) are lighter and cheaper than a high-powered laptop or desktop.

• You can conceivably “rent” software once you are using it in the cloud. Sure, some software you may want to own, but what about those utilities you only use once in a blue moon? I would love to be able to pay per use in these cases.

• We can leverage the expertise of the experts. If software is in the cloud, then the software provider needs to make sure that software is the current version and secure.

• The cloud is elastic. What I mean by this is that if I need more storage, I just increase it in the cloud by updating my profile and paying my provider a bit more. And I can do it by a little or by a lot. Right now, if I want more storage I have to buy another hard drive, which will require I predict the amount that will suffice and it most likely will require the labor of a reorganization of my data. In the cloud, it’s easier and less expensive.

So, I say I am looking forward to the Cloudier days ahead…

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