Am I the only one not looking forward to "Cloud" computing?

[her209]

Cloud computing is not going to be here anytime soon.

 

[effowe]

Jumping in late to this thread, but how many of you that are against cloud computing users of Gmail? Do you guys use a mail client to d/l all of your messages via POP3 or IMAP? I know that I don't download any of my messages to my computer, as using a browser is so much more convenient. There are many things where local copies are necessary and aren't appropriate for the cloud, but for a lot of our data, being able to access it on the go anywhere is a much better solution than trying to drag it all around with you.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Jumping in late to this thread, but how many of you that are against cloud computing users of Gmail? Do you guys use a mail client to d/l all of your messages via POP3 or IMAP? I know that I don't download any of my messages to my computer, as using a browser is so much more convenient. There are many things where local copies are necessary and aren't appropriate for the cloud, but for a lot of our data, being able to access it on the go anywhere is a much better solution than trying to drag it all around with you.

I actually use gmail as a backup email, it redirects to my main email which is my own domain and own server. If my server is completely down then I can use gmail to communicate with my host/data center if I need to. (it keeps copies when it redirects).

I would not trust it for an every day email though. Not that I have no faith in Google, but I just don't want all my emails on a foreign server that I have no control over.

Then there's all the code I write, and other data that I own. I want local copies, and full control over my backup rotation.

 

[effowe]

I actually use gmail as a backup email, it redirects to my main email which is my own domain and own server. If my server is completely down then I can use gmail to communicate with my host/data center if I need to. (it keeps copies when it redirects).

I would not trust it for an every day email though. Not that I have no faith in Google, but I just don't want all my emails on a foreign server that I have no control over.

Then there's all the code I write, and other data that I own. I want local copies, and full control over my backup rotation.

Well that is a good idea, but you are not the average user. If anything was work sensitive or a must to backup, Gmail is not the best solution. For the majority of people, however, having all of the emails stored on a remote server works wonderfully. The convenience of being able to hop on any computer, whether it be in a cafe or at a friends house to access your information is great. I welcome the Cloud model for many pieces of information, but again, it isn't right for everything.

 

[Fox5]

Cloud computing will take off once the transition from offline to online is seamless. HTML5 could potentially deliver that.

Too bad cloud computing will probably succeed where open source (and java's write once, run anywhere) failed. Still, I happen to like my openoffice and thunderbird, way better than the equivalent cloud apps.
Cloud computing is basically a way to wrest control from a Microsoft dominated world.

 

[MotionMan]

I have a few things in the cloud, but, at the same time, I am off to Fry's tomorrow for 2-3 1.0 or 1.5 TB drives to upgrade my external enclosures.

Trust (the cloud) but verify (with local backups).

MotionMan

 

[lxskllr]

Jumping in late to this thread, but how many of you that are against cloud computing users of Gmail? Do you guys use a mail client to d/l all of your messages via POP3 or IMAP? I know that I don't download any of my messages to my computer, as using a browser is so much more convenient. There are many things where local copies are necessary and aren't appropriate for the cloud, but for a lot of our data, being able to access it on the go anywhere is a much better solution than trying to drag it all around with you.

I download everything to Thunderbird, but leave a copy on the server. I like having access to my stuff without net access.

 

[Locut0s]

I'm of 2 minds about cloud computing. I can see the immense potential of it yet I agree with those who are scared of some of it's possible implications. I too love building my own computers and am immersed in the hardware world. I too also must have a local copy of everything. However cloud computing offers more than just storing your stuff online. It offers connectivity, group collaboration and hardware resource sharing on a level that's just not possible with your own PC. For example I will never go back to storing my emails on my home PC, gmail all the way baby! And Gmail is very much a cloud computing app. Writing documents online collaboratively also seems like a natural thing to do, instead of having hundreds of local copies all over the place. Hardware resource sharing may allow people to run games and applications on hardware they could only dream about owning right now. Think of the complexity you could enable in a game if all of the rendering and processing was taken care of on a small super computer. But yeah I don't like all of the ideas.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

you're not the only one.
my mom isn't fond of it either.

 

[SlitheryDee]

It is slightly worrisome, but not so much that I'm going to spend a lot of time worrying about it. Even if I'm only leasing the software, I still get to use it. That's all I ever did with it before.

 

[JS80]

Jumping in late to this thread, but how many of you that are against cloud computing users of Gmail? Do you guys use a mail client to d/l all of your messages via POP3 or IMAP? I know that I don't download any of my messages to my computer, as using a browser is so much more convenient. There are many things where local copies are necessary and aren't appropriate for the cloud, but for a lot of our data, being able to access it on the go anywhere is a much better solution than trying to drag it all around with you.

Forget Gmail, what about at work? All the files I work on at work are off the network drive.

 

[Raduque]

I'm very resistant to cloud computing. Gmail is about the only thing I use that might be considered "Cloud". My internet connection is pretty unstable.

Oh and those of you seriously responding to flyingpig, he's a troll.

 

[lxskllr]

Oh and those of you seriously responding to flyingpig, he's a troll.

I wouldn't say that. He makes valid points. They're usually setup in an inflammatory fashion, but he's generally on the mark. With pig, I wouldn't get wrapped up in the phrasing. When you strip the bs out, he makes some good points.

 

[Modelworks]

Not really a fan of having all my information inside a pool of computers shuffling data around.
It is going to happen , no way it will not with the money being spent on it. It will happen in steps though.

The next step is programs that execute on local hardware but are all stored remotely. This is the old boot os over network but with new hardware and protocols. Almost like steam except not only settings are in the cloud but the actual program data. Local storage becomes just a cache buffer . Software publishers love this as does MS and Apple. It defeats about 99% of all piracy if nobody has a copy of the software. I imagine rogue cloud networks will appear as will home servers to serve OS and apps locally.

The last step is computers on the desktop become a display device with the keyboard/mouse as the remote control. No local storage of anything and no hardware needed except to process the video stream.

Google just spent billions of dollars designing a new router system targeting cloud computing where the router understands what the actual content is where it needs to go and best way to get it their for the entire route from source to target, not just handing off traffic to other routers along the way so it always follows the same route.

MS has a ton of people working on cloud computing and windows 8 features.

 

[BoomerD]

I fear the cloud...I don't want my information stored with the great sky fairies that live in the clouds...They don't need access to my...........stuff.





For some businesses, I can see the need for cloud computing, but for the average home user...not so much.

 

[Modelworks]

Jumping in late to this thread, but how many of you that are against cloud computing users of Gmail? Do you guys use a mail client to d/l all of your messages via POP3 or IMAP?

The difference is that information is stored at a specific location. Cloud computing doesn't work that way. It is distributed among thousands of computers that share the load. During business hours east coast servers might be heavily used so they use cpu power from another part of the country. After hours the east coast servers provide cpu power to the west coast, etc. Your information can be in NY one day and CA the next. That opens it up for a lot of security issues.

Would you be okay with people sharing your emails on torrents so that you can get them anywhere you go ? Then you could just fire up utorrent and download your email from whoever is closest and has the best connections.

 

[Freejack2]

Cloud computing sounds nice and all but it sounds like if I lose my internet connection for any period time, my computer becomes worthless. For example my in-laws live in a rural area and their choices for high speed internet aren't much faster than dial-up and go down in bad weather or other reasons quite frequently. For them they couldn't do squat with their computer because every piece of software would be on a cloud server.
Add to the fact that they have slow internet so any software on the cloud server would take an eternity to load.
I think If they want cloud computing to become a reality they need to do something about rural internet service.

 

[0roo0roo]

i use gmail and other google apps, no big deal.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Cloud computing sounds nice and all but it sounds like if I lose my internet connection for any period time, my computer becomes worthless. For example my in-laws live in a rural area and their choices for high speed internet aren't much faster than dial-up and go down in bad weather or other reasons quite frequently. For them they couldn't do squat with their computer because every piece of software would be on a cloud server.
Add to the fact that they have slow internet so any software on the cloud server would take an eternity to load.
I think If they want cloud computing to become a reality they need to do something about rural internet service.

Yeah this is one big drawback. Lot of people don't realize it's not everyone who has super high speed connections with tons of bandwidth that compares to LAN speeds.

Another argument on this same page is what if you have a propitiatory app that is on a cloud computer, then they stop the service? What do you do now? I work in a hospital, and they actually still have critical stuff running on NT and other old crappy systems. They can't touch it because nobody knows how it works, they just know it's very important. You can't just pull the plug on something like that. A big corporation that is hosting such app could not care less, when they decide they want to remove it, they will. Then Grandma dies.

Really what would make cloud computing awesome is if they give you software to make a cloud server, so you host all your cloud apps locally and have full control over it. This should also be open source. The whole concept of propitiatory apps that costs tons of cash needs to end, especially in this economy. Imagine something like Citrix, but better, and free. That could rock in a corporate environment or even a home environment.

 

[Cable God]

Cloud computing is the SoS we've always done. They act like it's something magically "new". Does this "cloud" not have servers/ups/storage/network connections/etc? I rest my case. Larry put it best: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UYa6gQC14o

 

[Raduque]

I wouldn't say that. He makes valid points. They're usually setup in an inflammatory fashion, but he's generally on the mark. With pig, I wouldn't get wrapped up in the phrasing. When you strip the bs out, he makes some good points.

Not so much what he says, but how he says it. He may be a correct troll, but he's still a troll.

Imagine something like Citrix

Oh god, not Citrix... I used it at a previous job, and I still have nightmares.

 

[EGGO]

After my customer service experience with Steam and how I simply wanted to just give my brother's account my games because I was going to cancel mine (I was moving on) and they said no, he's going to have to buy them, I say thee nay.

 

[TurtleCrusher]

It bothers me simply because I hate a crappy internet connection, and sometimes no connection at all.

Absolutely this.

 

[Miramonti]

Those predicting Cloud computing will overtake local computing in the near future are the service providers and those they've blinded.

Fvck them and the horse they road in on.

 

[xCxStylex]

Dumb and bad example. Steam may force you to "use the cloud" but no ones FORCING you to use steam. Steam isn't a publisher like EA. It's not like you can get Battlefield Bad Company 2 published by XXX company that doesn't save savegames on their servers instead of EA, which does.

Steam isnt your only option in buying a title. You can even buy valve games on physical media.

Just to name a few now...Steam and EA for one...with newer EA games, all your saved games are stored on their servers...

Now, I know thats not a big list or anything, but looking on tech sites and stuff, more and more companies are pushing it...its not that big of a deal now, and sure one can opt out not to be a part of Cloud computing, but I have a feeling that not too far in the distant future you arent going to have a choice...