On Cloud 9

 What is the cloud?  Besides being the biggest buzz word in computers since the internet, it is a nebulous term reflecting what may be the biggest change in our habits since the internet exploded on us.   The cloud is the next step in the evolution of our technology usage as is related to the internet.   I would argue that cloud computing, in various forms, has been with us since we started using the internet.
 
Backing up a moment, one can look at this new term, as referring to our ability to store all our data and use full applications through the internet.  Google is making the transition from a web search engine company to a cloud services company, and so is Apple. Google Docs is a great example of a cloud application.  With google docs you have the ability to create, edit, share, save, view, print any document.  In short it is a full word processing program that requires no installation of software, outside of your web browser of choice,  on your pc.  Sound new and wild?  Email.  I would argue that email was one of the first cloud services, created long before we had the term cloud.  Much like a google docs account, one can access one’s own email on any computer simply by logging into your email account.  Email does not reside on your computer, but on a server owned by the company that provides email.
 
Where the difference now is, is that you can migrate your own data into the cloud. Dropbox is a great example, any file available through any computer connected to the internet.  Apple has just announced its icloud, amazon and google have music cloud based services.  More will come.  Googles soon to be released Chrome Os based computers are cloud machines, in that they can only connect to the internet.  Google’s vision is that you will only need a web browser on your pc.  Everything will be available, and be able to run, through a web browser.
 
Is the cloud ideal?  Far from it, no paradigm is perfect.  The cloud methodology has its own share of issues.  Bandwidth could become problematic and kill cloud computing, especially as bandwidth caps proliferate.  Location of your own data may be an issue for many.  Can one truly trust a company not to violate your privacy while they house your data?  The required connectivity is also a question, though this may be the one easily overcome as internet access continues to grow, specifically wi-fi.